刻

kè

measure word HSK 5 #3,513

Meanings

Xiànzài sān diǎn yī kè.

It's a quarter past three.

Tā zài shítou shàng kè le zì.

He carved characters on the stone.

Chà yī kè sì diǎn.

It's a quarter to four.

usage

For telling time: 一刻 = 15 minutes, 三刻 = 45 minutes. 半 (bàn) is used for 30 minutes.

history

Ancient Chinese water clocks divided the day into 100 刻. The modern meaning of 'quarter hour' came from Western clock influence.

刻 kè