HOURS_SUB

Description

The HOURS_SUB function subtracts a specified number of hours from an input date or datetime value and returns the calculated new datetime. This function supports both DATE, DATETIME, TIMESTAMP_NS, and TIMESTAMPTZ input types. If the input is DATE type (containing only year, month, day), it defaults the time part to 00:00:00.

This function is consistent with the date_sub function and date_sub function in MySQL when using the HOUR unit.

Syntax

HOURS_SUB(`<date_or_time_expr>`, `<hours>`)

Parameters

Parameter	Description
<date_or_time_expr>	A valid date expression that supports DATE/DATETIME/TIMESTAMP_NS/TIMESTAMPTZ types. For specific formats, please refer to timestamptz conversion, datetime conversion and date conversion
<hours>	The number of hours to subtract, of INT type

Return Value

Return the base time <date_or_time_expr> minus the specified hours <hours>, the return value type is determined by the type of the first parameter:

• If the first parameter is DATE or DATETIME, the return type is DATETIME; if it is TIMESTAMP_NS, the return type is TIMESTAMP_NS.
• If the type of the first parameter is TIMESTAMPTZ, then the return type is TIMESTAMPTZ

Special cases:

• If the calculation result exceeds the valid range of DATETIME type (0000-01-01 00:00:00 to 9999-12-31 23:59:59), returns an error.
• If any input parameter is NULL, returns NULL.
• If input hours is negative, returns the datetime plus the corresponding number of hours.

Examples

-- Subtract positive hours
SELECT HOURS_SUB('2020-02-02 02:02:02', 1);
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| hours_sub(cast('2020-02-02 02:02:02' as DATETIMEV2(0)), 1) |
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2020-02-02 01:02:02                                        |
+------------------------------------------------------------+

-- Subtract hours from date type
select hours_sub('2023-10-01', 12);
+-----------------------------+
| hours_sub('2023-10-01', 12) |
+-----------------------------+
| 2023-09-30 12:00:00         |
+-----------------------------+

-- Input hours is negative, returns datetime plus hours
select hours_sub('2023-10-01 10:00:00', -3);
+--------------------------------------+
| hours_sub('2023-10-01 10:00:00', -3) |
+--------------------------------------+
| 2023-10-01 13:00:00                  |
+--------------------------------------+

-- Example of TimeStampTz type, SET time_zone = '+08:00'
SELECT HOURS_SUB('2025-10-10 11:22:33.123+07:00', 1);
+-----------------------------------------------+
| HOURS_SUB('2025-10-10 11:22:33.123+07:00', 1) |
+-----------------------------------------------+
| 2025-10-10 11:22:33.123+08:00                 |
+-----------------------------------------------+

-- Any parameter is NULL, return NULL
select hours_sub('2023-10-01 10:00:00', NULL);
+----------------------------------------+
| hours_sub('2023-10-01 10:00:00', NULL) |
+----------------------------------------+
| NULL                                   |
+----------------------------------------+

-- Exceeds datetime range, return NULL
mysql> select hours_sub('9999-12-31 12:00:00', -20);
ERROR 1105 (HY000): errCode = 2, detailMessage = (10.16.10.2)[E-218]Operation hours_add of 9999-12-31 12:00:00, 20 out of range

mysql> select hours_sub('0000-01-01 12:00:00', 20);
ERROR 1105 (HY000): errCode = 2, detailMessage = (10.16.10.2)[E-218]Operation hours_add of 0000-01-01 12:00:00, -20 out of range