1.
seven o'clock
The time at seven hours past midnight or noon.
七時に起きる。
I wake up at seven o'clock.
会議は七時からです。
The meeting starts at seven o'clock.
毎朝七時に家を出る。
I leave home at seven o'clock every morning.
READING:
Both しちじ and ななじ are used for "seven o'clock." しちじ is the traditional reading and more common overall. ななじ is sometimes preferred to avoid confusion with 一時 (one o'clock) or 四時 (four o'clock) in noisy environments.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 朝七時: 7 a.m.
- 夜七時: 7 p.m.
- 七時半: 7:30
- 七時ちょうど: exactly 7 o'clock
- 七時過ぎ: past 7 o'clock
THE 七 VARIATION:
The number 7 has two readings throughout the counting system:
- しち: used in 七時, 七月 (July)
- なな: used in 七日 (7th day), 七つ (seven items)
In time-telling, しちじ is standard, but ななじ is understood.