China is a vast country with a unique approach to timekeeping. This guide explains China's time, why there's no DST, and basic Mandarin time words.

  1. The Concept of Daylight Saving
  2. Standard Time Across China
  3. Why DST Is Not Practiced in China
  4. Reasons for Abandoning DST
  5. How Many Time Zones Does China Actually Use?
  6. Practical Mandarin Words About Time

The Concept of Daylight Saving

Daylight Saving Time is a practice used worldwide to make better use of natural daylight and save energy. By adjusting clocks forward in spring and backward in autumn, countries can reduce artificial lighting needs during active hours. Over 70 countries follow DST, affecting more than a billion people annually.

Mandarin Vocabulary:
  1. Daylight Saving Time - 日光节约时 (Rìguāng jiéyuē shí)
  2. Time Zone - 时区 (Shíqū)
  3. Time Difference - 时差 (Shíchā)

Standard Time Across China

China does not follow DST. The entire nation operates on GMT +8 throughout the year.

Mandarin Vocabulary:
  1. Greenwich Mean Time - 格林威治平均时间 (Gé lín wēi zhì píng jūn shí jiān)

Why DST Is Not Practiced in China

Like several Asian countries—including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and India—China keeps the same time year-round.

China used DST briefly from April 1986 to September 1991. A study by Peking University suggested it could save up to 2 billion kilowatt-hours of energy per year.

Reasons for Abandoning DST

Although DST initially saved 700 million kilowatt-hours in 1986, it was unpopular among the population. Many residents, especially in Guangzhou, ignored the clock changes. In 1991, the Chinese government officially discontinued DST.

Practical Tip: China doesn't change its clocks, so its time stays the same all year—unlike countries that use DST.

How Many Time Zones Does China Actually Use?

Location-wise, China spans five time zones: Zhongyuan, Longshu, Tibet, Kunlun, and Changbai. However, the entire country officially observes a single time zone (GMT +8).

Implemented in 1949 , this system favors business and government activity in the eastern regions. This means that in western provinces like Xinjiang, the sun can set as late as 10 pm.

Practical Mandarin Words About Time

Here are 20 Mandarin terms that are useful for daily conversations about time:

English Mandarin Pinyin
Day天tiān
Week星期 / 周xīngqī / zhōu
Month月yuè
Year年nián
Time时间shí jiān
Second秒miǎo
Minute分钟fēn zhōng
Morning早上zǎo shang
Noon中午zhōng wǔ
Afternoon下午xià wǔ
English Mandarin Pinyin
Evening晚上wǎn shàng
Midnight半夜Bàn yè
Yesterday昨天zuótiān
Tomorrow明天míngtiān
2 Days Ago前天qián tiān
2 Days Ahead后天hòu tiān
3 Days Ago大前天dà qián tiān
3 Days Ahead大后天dà hòu tiān
Clock时钟shí zhōng
Alarm Clock闹钟nào zhōng

China's approach to time may seem unusual, but it provides nationwide consistency. Learning these Mandarin words will help you navigate daily life, travel, and international communication more easily.