Chinese Numbers Vocabulary: Essential Words 0-100 & Beyond
Learning Chinese vocabulary numbers is one of the most practical skills you can develop as a beginner. Numbers appear everywhere—from shopping and telling time to exchanging phone numbers and discussing dates. This guide will help you master Chinese words for numbers from zero to millions, along with essential phrases you'll use daily.
Essential Numbers Vocabulary
Before you can learn Chinese numbers in context, you need to memorize the basic digits. The good news is that Chinese uses a logical counting system that becomes intuitive once you understand the pattern.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 零 | líng | zero | 零下十度 (líng xià shí dù) - ten degrees below zero |
| 一 | yī | one | 一个人 (yī gè rén) - one person |
| 二 | èr | two | 第二名 (dì èr míng) - second place |
| 两 | liǎng | two (with measure words) | 两个苹果 (liǎng gè píngguǒ) - two apples |
| 三 | sān | three | 三本书 (sān běn shū) - three books |
| 四 | sì | four | 四季 (sì jì) - four seasons |
| 五 | wǔ | five | 五分钟 (wǔ fēn zhōng) - five minutes |
| 六 | liù | six | 六点钟 (liù diǎn zhōng) - six o'clock |
| 七 | qī | seven | 七天 (qī tiān) - seven days |
| 八 | bā | eight | 八月 (bā yuè) - August |
| 九 | jiǔ | nine | 九岁 (jiǔ suì) - nine years old |
| 十 | shí | ten | 十块钱 (shí kuài qián) - ten yuan |
| 百 | bǎi | hundred | 一百元 (yī bǎi yuán) - one hundred yuan |
| 千 | qiān | thousand | 两千人 (liǎng qiān rén) - two thousand people |
| 万 | wàn | ten thousand | 三万块 (sān wàn kuài) - thirty thousand yuan |
| 亿 | yì | hundred million | 十四亿 (shí sì yì) - 1.4 billion |
Common Phrases with Numbers
Once you've memorized the basic Chinese words for numbers, you'll want to use them in everyday situations. Here are essential phrases that combine numbers with practical vocabulary.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 多少 | duōshao | how many/how much | 这个多少钱？(zhè ge duōshao qián?) - How much is this? |
| 几 | jǐ | how many (small numbers) | 你几岁？(nǐ jǐ suì?) - How old are you? |
| 第一 | dì yī | first | 第一次来中国 (dì yī cì lái Zhōngguó) - first time in China |
| 号码 | hàomǎ | number (phone, ID) | 你的电话号码是多少？(nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ shì duōshao?) - What's your phone number? |
| 一半 | yī bàn | half | 一半的人 (yī bàn de rén) - half of the people |
| 几点 | jǐ diǎn | what time | 现在几点？(xiànzài jǐ diǎn?) - What time is it now? |
| 一共 | yīgòng | altogether/in total | 一共五十块 (yīgòng wǔshí kuài) - fifty yuan in total |
| 大约 | dàyuē | approximately | 大约三十分钟 (dàyuē sānshí fēnzhōng) - about 30 minutes |
Usage Notes
When you learn Chinese numbers, understanding cultural and grammatical nuances is just as important as memorizing the digits themselves.
- 二 (èr) vs. 两 (liǎng): Both mean "two," but 两 is used before measure words when counting objects, while 二 is used for ordinal numbers, phone numbers, and mathematics. Say 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) for "two people" but 第二 (dì èr) for "second."
- Lucky and unlucky numbers: The number 8 (八, bā) is extremely lucky because it sounds like 发 (fā, "prosperity"). The number 4 (四, sì) is considered unlucky because it sounds similar to 死 (sǐ, "death"). Many buildings skip the 4th floor, and phone numbers with multiple 8s are highly valued.
- 一 (yī) tone changes: The number one changes tone based on what follows it. Before a 4th tone syllable, it becomes 2nd tone (yí). Before 1st, 2nd, or 3rd tone syllables, it becomes 4th tone (yì). When counting or at the end of a phrase, it stays 1st tone (yī).
- Counting on fingers: Chinese people use a single-hand system to count from 1-10. Numbers 6-10 have specific hand gestures that differ from Western counting.
- Large number system: Chinese groups large numbers by ten thousands (万, wàn) rather than thousands. So 100,000 is 十万 (shí wàn, "ten ten-thousands"), and one million is 一百万 (yī bǎi wàn, "one hundred ten-thousands").
Practice Sentences
The best way to solidify your Chinese vocabulary numbers is through practice. Study these sentences to see how numbers function in natural speech.
- 我今年二十五岁。
Wǒ jīnnián èrshíwǔ suì.
I am twenty-five years old this year. - 这件衣服三百块钱。
Zhè jiàn yīfu sān bǎi kuài qián.
This piece of clothing costs 300 yuan. - 我每天工作八个小时。
Wǒ měi tiān gōngzuò bā gè xiǎoshí.
I work eight hours every day. - 他的电话号码是一三八零零零零一二三四。
Tā de diànhuà hàomǎ shì yāo sān bā líng líng líng líng yāo èr sān sì.
His phone number is 13800001234. (Note: 1 is often pronounced "yāo" in phone numbers to avoid confusion) - 从这里到机场大约四十分钟。
Cóng zhèlǐ dào jīchǎng dàyuē sìshí fēnzhōng.
It takes about forty minutes from here to the airport. - 我们班有三十二个学生。
Wǒmen bān yǒu sānshí'èr gè xuésheng.
Our class has thirty-two students. - 请给我两杯咖啡。
Qǐng gěi wǒ liǎng bēi kāfēi.
Please give me two cups of coffee. - 这是我第三次来北京。
Zhè shì wǒ dì sān cì lái Běijīng.
This is my third time coming to Beijing. - 一共多少钱？——一共九十九块五。
Yīgòng duōshao qián? —— Yīgòng jiǔshíjiǔ kuài wǔ.
How much in total? —— Ninety-nine yuan and fifty cents in total. - 中国有十四亿人口。
Zhōngguó yǒu shísì yì rénkǒu.
China has a population of 1.4 billion.