8pm

8pm, also written as 20:00 in the 24‑hour clock, is a standard time marking the end of the late afternoon and the beginning of the evening for most people in the Northern Hemisphere. On standard clocks and watches, the hour hand points to 8 while the minute hand is at the 12, indicating the start of the twentieth hour in the day‑long cycle. In a 12‑hour format the label “pm” distinguishes the time from 8am (08:00) and signals the post‑noon period from midnight to noon.

In many cultures 8pm is regarded as peak viewing or listening time for television, radio and streaming services. Classic time‑table dramas, news broadcasts and sports events often begin around this hour, allowing evening audiences who are home from work or school to tune in. In the United Kingdom, for instance, the “prime‑time” slot for television traditionally starts at 7:30pm, and by 8pm many people are either watching or having dinner.

The time is also referenced in public schedules such as airlines, trains and buses, where departure and arrival times at 20:00 indicate late‑evening service. In programming, “20:00” may appear in logs or timestamps, closely mirroring the hour’s representation in digital systems that employ the 24‑hour format for clarity and international standardization.

Because 8pm lies well within the nighttime period, its usage often implies activities that shift from daytime to nocturnal rhythms—dinner, social gatherings, work‑related events, and a transition toward nighttime rest. The mark is thus useful for synchronizing personal, commercial, and broadcast activities across diverse communities.