Key Facts
- Hangul: 오후; Revised Romanization: ohu
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 午後 (午 noon + 後 after)
- Register: Neutral, standard word; used for clock times.
P.M. in Korean: What Does 오후 Mean?
오후 is the standard word for p.m. on a clock and for the afternoon in general. It is neutral, so it fits a timetable and a chat equally. It is a noun, and times are built by putting it in front of the hour: 오후 두 시 is 2 p.m.
How Do You Pronounce 오후?
Two syllables, o-hu, with no tense or linked sounds to worry about. The second syllable hu is a short, clear u after an h, close to the start of "who".
Example Sentences with 오후
오후에 수업이 있어요.
Ohue sueobi isseoyo
I have class in the afternoon.
오후에 sets the time, and 수업이 있어요 says there is a class. It is a plain way to describe a schedule.
오후 세 시에 만나요.
Ohu se sie mannayo
Let's meet at 3 p.m.
오후 comes before the number, so you read it first and then the hour. 세 시 is three o'clock, and the whole phrase is an invitation to meet.
오후에는 커피를 마셔요.
Ohueneun keopireul masyeoyo
I drink coffee in the afternoon.
Here 오후에는 adds a contrast: this is what happens in the afternoon, as opposed to other times of day. The habit being described is drinking coffee.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 오후 두 시 | 2 p.m. |
| 오후에 | in the afternoon |
| 오후 내내 | all afternoon |
| 오후반 | afternoon class |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ thinking 오후 아홉 시 is a mistake because 9 p.m. is not the afternoon
Correct: ✓ 오후 아홉 시 = 9 p.m.
Why: 오후 covers all of p.m., from noon to midnight, evening included. In conversation people may say 저녁 아홉 시 instead, but 오후 is always correct on a clock.
오후 Compared with Related Words
Three neighbours sit around 오후 on the clock face.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 오전 | a.m. | 오전 is the opposite of 오후: midnight to noon. |
| 낮 | daytime | 낮 is the bright part of the day, not a clock term. |
| 저녁 | evening | 저녁 is the evening after the afternoon, which 오후 still covers on a clock. |
The easy test is the position on the clock: 오전 comes before noon, 오후 after it. 낮 names the bright part of the day, and 저녁 is the evening stretch that 오후 still covers.
Where Does the Word Come From?
오후 is Sino-Korean, written 午後 in hanja: 午 (noon) plus 後 (after). Literally it means "after noon", which is exactly how it is used.
Confirming an Afternoon Appointment
A customer checks a reservation time with a receptionist. Repeating 오후 makes the time clear before the customer writes it down.
Customer
예약이 오후 두 시예요?
Yeyagi ohu du siyeyo?
Is the reservation at 2 p.m.?
Receptionist
네, 오후 두 시예요.
Ne, ohu du siyeyo.
Yes, it’s at 2 p.m.
Customer
오후 한 시 반에 가도 돼요?
Ohu han si bane gado dwaeyo?
May I come at 1:30 p.m.?
Receptionist
네, 괜찮아요.
Ne, gwaenchanayo.
Yes, that’s fine.
두 시예요 identifies the time as two o’clock. In the third line, 에 follows the complete time expression, 오후 한 시 반, because it marks when the customer will arrive. 반 adds “half past”. The customer asks about arriving early; the reservation itself remains at two.
Reading 오후 on Schedules and Messages
오후 often appears before digits on notices: 오후 2시 is 2 p.m. The same time can be written with Korean number words as 오후 두 시. Read the hour with native Korean numbers even when the notice uses digits. For hours one through four, the forms before 시 are 한, 두, 세 and 네.
On a schedule using the 24-hour clock, 14:00 already specifies two in the afternoon. You do not need 오후 to distinguish it from 02:00. When changing that time into a spoken twelve-hour expression, use 오후 두 시. This conversion matters when a booking message and a conversation show the same appointment differently.
Put the day before the time when both are needed. 내일 오후 means “tomorrow afternoon”, and 오늘 오후 means “this afternoon”. Neither phrase gives an exact hour. If you are arranging a meeting rather than simply describing your day, add the hour so the listener knows when to arrive.
How Much of the Afternoon Does a Phrase Cover?
오후에 places an event in the afternoon without saying how long it lasts. 오후 내내 means “all afternoon”, so it describes a stretch of time. 내내 contributes “throughout”; it does not turn the phrase into an exact appointment time.
오후반 is a class or group scheduled in the afternoon. The ending 반 refers to the class or group, whereas 반 after an hour means “half”. In the dialogue, 한 시 반 is 1:30; it has nothing to do with a class. The surrounding words tell you which meaning applies.
For noon itself, 정오 is a clear word. 자정 means midnight. These words help when twelve on a clock could leave someone unsure which part of the day you mean. For ordinary evening appointments, 오후 plus an hour remains a valid p.m. expression, as the existing nine-o’clock example shows.
Related Time Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 오전 | a.m. | Put it before the hour for a morning clock time. |
| 정오 | noon | Identifies the middle of the day precisely. |
| 자정 | midnight | Useful when a date changes overnight. |
| 밤 | night | Describes a part of the day rather than the entire p.m. period. |
The time expressions lesson teaches the surrounding vocabulary. For number choices and half hours, use the a.m., p.m. and half-past lesson.
Quick Self-Test
- Where does 오후 go in the expression for 3 p.m.?
- Does 오후 내내 give an exact hour?
- How do you say 14:00 using 오후?
Show answers
- Before the hour: 오후 세 시.
- No. It means “all afternoon”.
- 오후 두 시.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "p.m." in Korean?
Say 오후 (ohu) and put it before the hour, as in 오후 두 시 for 2 p.m. Hours are counted with native numbers.
Does 오후 mean afternoon or p.m.?
Both. In conversation 오후에 usually means in the afternoon; with a clock time, 오후 simply means p.m.
Can 오후 be used for evening times?
Yes. 오후 아홉 시 is 9 p.m., so it is not limited to the afternoon. In speech, 저녁 before the hour is also common for evening times.
What is the opposite of 오후?
The opposite is 오전, a.m., for the hours from midnight to noon. 오전 also goes before the hour.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Time expressions groups 오후 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare 오후 with 오전 on the page for a.m., its direct opposite.
- The evening hours are covered by 저녁.