what does '4:45 pm military time' mean?

If you have ever worked in the military or had a military family member, chances are you have heard of military time. Military time is also referred to as "24-hour clock" and can be an intimidating concept for those who are unaccustomed to it. Knowing what 4:45 pm military time translates to is essential for success in the military or if you ever plan to do business with someone using this type of clock system.

In the most basic sense, 4:45 pm military time would translate to 1645 hours. All times after 12 pm are typically written out as a four-digit figure instead of with the addition of a second number denoting am or pm. This means that midnight is written as 0000 hours and 11:59 pm is written as 2359 hours. To easily convert between standard and military times, just add 12 to any given standard time after noon; so 4:45 would become 1645 when converted into the 24-hour clock system. To convert from 24-hour system back to the standard times, simply subtract 12 from any given number before noon; so 0900 hours would become 9:00 am when reverted back into standard form.

While a four-digit format offers clarity on what "4:45 pm" translates to in terms of military time, this does not necessarily mean that people saying "four forty-five" out loud mean the exact same thing by it. In speaking cards, when someone says "four forty-five" they could either be referring to 1645 or 0445 depending on context clues like day vs night or specific date and measurements frequently used.