The use of へ and に in regards to time


If I were heading toward Tokyo but not neccessarily to Tokyo I would use へ. If
I were going to Tokyo I would use に. That much I understand.

My question is whether this can be extended to time.

For example, If I wanted to tell Jim I will call him around 5 (presumably
sometime between 430 and 6) I would say ５時へ呼ぶでしょう．However, if I want him to be
at the phone at 5 then I would say ５時に呼ぶでしょう。to indicate that I will be
calling at a specific time.

Do I have this correct, or is に always used in regard to time?

よろしくお願いします、




To use "around" for time, use ごろ. へ is not used this way

>   * 5時ごろ電話するわ！ → I'll call you around 5:00.
>

注意: Do not confuse this with "about" which is ぐらい/くらい.

> × 5時ぐらい電話する → I'll call you "about" 5:00 (ブブー）  
>  ○ 5時ごろ電話する → I'll call you around 5:00 (ピンポン)

This is used for time duration instead.

>   * 車で行くなら、３時間ぐらいかかる → If you go by car, it'll take about 3 hours.
>

* * *

*Note that my mapping of `around ←→ ごろ` and `about ←→ ぐらい` is arbitrary, and it would make equally as much sense in English to swap them. However, for my own sanity in their usage, I always did it this way by thinking of "around" as drawing a "round" circle on a timeline, like so:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pHrps.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pHrps.png)

Thus, "around 5:00" gives an easier (IMO) visual representation of when this
time might be.




To use "around" for time, use ごろ. へ is not used this way

>   * 5時ごろ電話するわ！ → I'll call you around 5:00.
>

注意: Do not confuse this with "about" which is ぐらい/くらい.

> × 5時ぐらい電話する → I'll call you "about" 5:00 (ブブー）  
>  ○ 5時ごろ電話する → I'll call you around 5:00 (ピンポン)

This is used for time duration instead.

>   * 車で行くなら、３時間ぐらいかかる → If you go by car, it'll take about 3 hours.
>

* * *

*Note that my mapping of `around ←→ ごろ` and `about ←→ ぐらい` is arbitrary, and it would make equally as much sense in English to swap them. However, for my own sanity in their usage, I always did it this way by thinking of "around" as drawing a "round" circle on a timeline, like so:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pHrps.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pHrps.png)

Thus, "around 5:00" gives an easier (IMO) visual representation of when this
time might be.

