"现在两点整。"
Translation:It's two o'clock sharp.
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I might say sharp if specifying a future appointment or something similar but not when describing the present moment.
Its exactly right that "sharp" is generally used in warnings such as "You need to be there by ..." or "I will be leaving at..."
If they had a native English-speaking person proofreading the English translations they would surely know this, but they clearly don't.
What is a "native English speaker"?
Does he or she spell color as colour?
Does he or she say "on the weekend" or "at the weekend"?
Does he or she say words like "juggernaut"?
Which country has the largest English speaking population by the way? Do you know?
It just means that you come from a country that has English as the main language and were brought up with English as your mother tongue. It does not mean you come from England.
That is how I use "sharp" as a native English speaker. Means exactly, no being a few minutes late.
It means at exactly two o'clock However we normally use it to mean an exact time to meet up such as: I'll meet you at two o'clock sharp.
I thought it would just be 2 o clock sharp, but now I learned that if there is not a subject for the time, usually it will translate to "it" or "it's."
I think 'sharp' is usually only used when arranging a time... "see you at 3pm sharp", not when reporting a time... "It's exactly 3pm"
I don't understand why this is using 两. We are taught that 两 is used like "a pair" in English, thus when having 2 with a MEASURE WORD. Here 点 is NOT a measure word, it's a precise time. So why isn't this 现在二点整？ 两点 should refer to an INTERVAL of two hours, not a clock time. Can someone explain?
That is how we are taught, but it appears that 两 has a lot of exceptions where we might be tempted to use 二. Here's a link that has a lot of examples and you can see many of them don't use a measure word. https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22er%22_and_%22liang%22
It's two o 'clock exactly. Was NOT accepted. 整 zhěng also means exact.
Marked wrong for saying "2:00 sharp" instead of "2 o'clock sharp" lol. They mean the exact same thing.
Reading all blog entries here, I notice a lot of cultural differences in the english speaking world. I suggest that DL accepts other translations than "sharp".
On the dot...on the nose ...straight up.. .precisely...but sharp is good, too!
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It's now 2 o'clock not accepted 7Dec'21.Chinese has 现在 but apparently no now in their English translation
No, they want you to learn that 整 is used here to specify 2:00 "exactly/ sharp/ on the dot"
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OED defines ‘sharp’ (in this context) as “precisely at the time specified”; it defines ‘exactly’ in a more general sense meaning “accurately, precisely ...”. I wonder if 整 has than sense of “exactly (and precisely) at the time named, with a particular attention to the punctuality”. If it does, then ‘sharp’ is the appropriate translation. If not, then “it is now exactly two o’clock” or “it is now precisely two o’clock”, or even just “it is now two o’clock” would do. “It is now two o’clock precisely” has a particular cultural meaning, as the old British speaking clock used that format: “At the third stroke it will be two o’clock precisely … beep, beep, beep.”
Why is it is now two o'clock precisely not accepted? Never heard sharp unless your speaking about a deadline or something
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I think this may have been said already, but "sharp" is used about a future appointment, maybe the starting time of a party, but it isn't used to refer to the time right now. If someone asks the time they obviously want the current time, not what it was or will be
I thought 两 was more of a measure thing or plural objects... unless chinese treats time as an object?
两 is used for 2 of something. That also includes time. In Chinese they will say something like I need 两 hours to do something. So yes in some cases they do treat time like an object just like we do in English. It also has the definitions of both, some, and a few. The other more simple reason is 二 is ONLY used in counting.
I have heard anyone in the UK use sharp is this context as against exactly or precisely
It used to be used a lot and is still used in some English-speaking countries.
No, it's two o'clock sharp as opposed to two o'watch sharp. You didn't know this simple fact?
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When i say "It's two o'clock", I mean that it's two o'clock. I don't have to add "sharp" or "exactly".
@Chip - it is not necessarily "now". Imagine someone asking "What is the time the meeting is scheduled for tomorrow?"; and the answer "It's 2 o' clock sharp". i.e. it is not now, but tomorrow.
Reading through many peoples' grievances here Duo should simply start accepting any "non-blank" answer to keep people happy.
Should it really matter whether anyone understands the Chinese characters and grammar subtleties?
Not much or at all... because there is no way of displaying it during this "most answers are right and ignore what doesn't fit the answer" movement.
The last time I was asked to translate this sentence 'two o'clock sharp' was marked wrong. So this time I just said '2:00' and that was also marked wrong.????
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I just did this same question twice and “It’s now 2 o’clock sharp” was accepted; as was “it’s now exactly 2 o’clock”.
That is not good English. The best English is: It is precisely (OR exactly) two now. You only use 'sharp' in expressions like: Be there at two sharp OR be there sharp on two.
saying sharp to refer to how close to the exact hour is a colloquial and outdated use of language. It should be changed to something like "right now" or just "now" or a more literal expression like "precisely"
"Precisely" is also an old word. That's for sure. We will need something more modernistically correct, Yo!!
where is 'sharp' implied in the Chinese? This just means 'now it's 2:00.'
This should be It's two o'clock on the dot. We only say sharp when we are talking about a future arrangement.
it is zwo o'clock means "exactly two hours zero minutes", the sharp is surplus
It is 2 sharp right now. It is 2 sharp. These should also be accepted. For consistency, this lesson should either always or never require "O'clock".
xx o'clock means xx:00 so it is sharp (this was the explication of my english teacher). It is not correct to use o'clock for other times than xx:00
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“I’ll see you at 10:00” - five minutes either side isn’t an issue.
“I’ll see you at 10:00 sharp” - if you aren’t there you’ll miss the party.
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“The train leaves at 11 o’clock.” “Is that 11 o’clock sharp?” “No - three minutes past”.
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“The train leaves at 11 o’clock.” “My train arrives at 11.01 - will I be able to catch it?” “No, it leaves at 11 o’clock sharp”
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“The train leaves at 11 o’clock.” “My train arrives at 11.01 - will I be able to catch it?” “Yes - the exact time it leaves is 11:05.”
Suggested "It's 2 o'clock now." Adding "sharp" is an odd and specific translation.
There are approximately 9675928370598598 more or less correct ways of saying this in English and DL accepts about three of them. Can you PLEASE fix that?
What English? In America, it is definitely used. Too many millenials and zoomers in the forums here.
It is not. The addition is used in English to indicate an exact time.
