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Date and Timestamp Format Elements

These format elements can be used together to create the format string for TO_DATE and TO_TIMESTAMP.

Format element

Unit

Example

YYYY / yyyy

Year (4 and more digits)

2025-01-01

YYY / yyy

Year (last 3 digits)

025-01-01

YY / yy

Year (last 2 digits)

25-01-01

Y / y

Year (last digit)

5-01-01

MM / mm

Month (01-12)

2025-01-01

Month

Month (full name)

01 January 2025

Mon

Month (abbreviated mixed-case name)

01 Jan 2025

MON

Month (abbreviated uppercase name)

01 JAN 2025

DDD / ddd

Day of year (001-366)

2025-001

DD / dd

Day of month (01-31)

2025-01-01

HH / hh / HH24 / hh24

Hour of day (00-23)

14:00:00

HH12 / hh12

Hour of day (01-12)

02:00:00 PM

MI / mi

Minute (00-59)

14:00:00

SS / ss

Second (00-59)

14:00:00

MS / ms / FF3 / ff3

Millisecond (000-999)

14:00:00.123

US / us / FF6 / ff6

Microsecond (000000-999999)

14:00:00.123456

AM / am / PM / pm

Meridian indicator

02:00:00 PM