As a linguistic expert with a deep understanding of the English language, I am well-versed in the nuances of time expressions. The phrase "quarter to five" is one of those expressions that can be a bit tricky for non-native speakers to understand at first. It's a part of the idiomatic way English speakers describe the time of day.

In English, we have specific terms for times that are exactly on the hour, and then we have phrases for times that are a few minutes before or after the hour. When we say "quarter to five," we are referring to a time that is 15 minutes before five o'clock. The word "quarter" in this context means one-fourth, and since there are 60 minutes in an hour, one-fourth of an hour is 15 minutes. So, "quarter to five" is 4:45.

This expression is part of a larger pattern in English time-telling. Here are some examples to illustrate the pattern:

- 5:00 - five o'clock. This is straightforward; the hour hand is on the 5, and the minute hand is at the 12, indicating the start of the hour.
- 5:15 - quarter after five (or, you could say, quarter past five). Here, the minute hand has moved a quarter of the way around the clock, past the hour marker for 5.
- 5:30 - half past five. This is when the minute hand is directly at the 6, which is halfway between the hour markers for 5 and 6.
- 5:45 - quarter to six (or, you could say, quarter 'till six). Similar to "quarter to five," this means there are 15 minutes left until the next hour, which is six o'clock.

It's important to note that these expressions are not universally used; they are more common in British English and can vary in other English-speaking regions. For instance, in American English, people might simply say "fifteen to five" or "fifteen of five" instead of "quarter to five."

Understanding these time expressions can be quite helpful when you're trying to communicate precisely about the time, especially in formal settings or when punctuality is crucial. It's also a part of the cultural fabric of English-speaking societies and can be a fun aspect of the language to learn for those interested in mastering English.

Now, let's proceed with the translation of the explanation into Chinese.

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There are special ways to say times that end with the numbers 00, 15, 30, and 45. 5:00 - five o'clock. 5:15 - quarter after five (or, you could say, quarter past five) 5:30 - half past five. 5:45 - quarter to six (or, you could say, quarter 'till six)read more >>