<p>If we're only talking about the English word <em>second</em>, then 秒钟 and 秒 don't really have any difference.</p>

<p>Perhaps you could think of 秒 as <code>sec</code>, as in <code>give me sec</code> or <code>I'll be there in a sec</code> &amp; 秒钟 as <code>second</code>.</p>

<p>If we check out <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=2&amp;wdqt=%E7%A7%92%0D%0A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a>'s definition of 秒 we can see that it also includes other things beside a measurement for time, like:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>arc second (angular measurement unit)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(coll.) instantly </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Otherwise for general purposes: 秒钟 is just the lengthened form of 秒 &amp; 秒 is just the shortened form of 秒钟. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-07T09:26:43.323Z
2018-05-07T09:26:43.323Z
Mou某
<p>That is a question common to 134% of Chinese students (yeah, I just made up a nonsense number), and I personally think it's one of the most difficult issues in the Chinese language.</p>

<p>About 50% of the words are elastic in Chinese (check the concept here <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28769/how-to-deal-with-elasticity-flexibility-in-hsk-vocabulary">How to deal with elasticity/flexibility in HSK vocabulary?</a>) </p>

<p>To put it simple (very very simple), Chinese have words coming in one and two syllables that mean <strong>exactly the same</strong>. There are many theories trying to explain why that happens, and one of them (which I think is the easiest to understand) is about homophony causing ambiguity.</p>

<p>I'll give an example with the word 分 [fēn]. If someone says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我还有一分。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>One wouldn't be able to tell if he/she is saying "I still have one minute" or "I still have one cent", since 分 can mean both. To solve the ambiguity the words 钟 and 钱 should be added:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我还有一分钟。 I still have one minute. ("one 分 of hour")<br>
  我还有一分钱。 I still have one cent. ("one 分 of money")</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So, the difference between 秒 and 秒钟 it's just that 秒钟 is the <strong>complete word</strong> for "second". But if you have context, you don't need the whole word. For example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A: 多少钱？  How much is it?<br>
  B: 一分。 One fen. (the context clears up that it's a "fen of money")</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-09T23:02:33.510Z
2018-05-09T23:02:33.510Z
Enrico Brasil
<p>Both of them seem to mean <em>a second</em>, according to both wiktionary and linedict.</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%A7%92%E9%92%9F#Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/秒钟#Chinese</a></p>

<p><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%A7%92" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/秒</a></p>

<p><a href="http://ce.linedict.com/dict.html#/cnen/entry/b90b963dcf6f45cead8a742525cd059f" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://ce.linedict.com/dict.html#/cnen/entry/b90b963dcf6f45cead8a742525cd059f</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-07T11:57:27.463Z
Chinese A Comprehensive Grammar:Ch.25. Sentences are abbreviated and words omitted where context and co-text make the meaning clear,  similarly: 分钟 - 分，分钱 - 分，毛钱 - 毛，also  米 - 公米，升 - 公升
user6065
<difference><time>
What's the difference between 秒钟 and 秒?
# What's the difference between 秒钟 and 秒?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-07)

Both of them seem to mean *a second*, according to both wiktionary and linedict.

[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/秒钟#Chinese](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%A7%92%E9%92%9F#Chinese)

[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/秒](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%A7%92)

<http://ce.linedict.com/dict.html#/cnen/entry/b90b963dcf6f45cead8a742525cd059f>

**Tags:** difference, time

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Chinese A Comprehensive Grammar:Ch.25. Sentences are abbreviated and words omitted where context and co-text make the meaning clear,  similarly: 分钟 - 分，分钱 - 分，毛钱 - 毛，also  米 - 公米，升 - 公升  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-07. Score: 1

If we're only talking about the English word *second*, then 秒钟 and 秒 don't really have any difference.

Perhaps you could think of 秒 as `sec`, as in `give me sec` or `I'll be there in a sec` & 秒钟 as `second`.

If we check out [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=2&wdqt=%E7%A7%92%0D%0A)'s definition of 秒 we can see that it also includes other things beside a measurement for time, like:

> arc second (angular measurement unit)

and

> (coll.) instantly

Otherwise for general purposes: 秒钟 is just the lengthened form of 秒 & 秒 is just the shortened form of 秒钟.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-05-09. Score: 1

That is a question common to 134% of Chinese students (yeah, I just made up a nonsense number), and I personally think it's one of the most difficult issues in the Chinese language.

About 50% of the words are elastic in Chinese (check the concept here [How to deal with elasticity/flexibility in HSK vocabulary?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28769/how-to-deal-with-elasticity-flexibility-in-hsk-vocabulary))

To put it simple (very very simple), Chinese have words coming in one and two syllables that mean **exactly the same**. There are many theories trying to explain why that happens, and one of them (which I think is the easiest to understand) is about homophony causing ambiguity.

I'll give an example with the word 分 [fēn]. If someone says:

> 我还有一分。

One wouldn't be able to tell if he/she is saying "I still have one minute" or "I still have one cent", since 分 can mean both. To solve the ambiguity the words 钟 and 钱 should be added:

> 我还有一分钟。 I still have one minute. ("one 分 of hour")  
> 我还有一分钱。 I still have one cent. ("one 分 of money")

So, the difference between 秒 and 秒钟 it's just that 秒钟 is the **complete word** for "second". But if you have context, you don't need the whole word. For example:

> A: 多少钱？ How much is it?  
> B: 一分。 One fen. (the context clears up that it's a "fen of money")


---

