Master the Art of Counting in Chinese
Jump ↓ 0-10 + Hand Signs 11-99 100-999 1000 & UP
Expand your Chinese vocabulary to include numbers from 0 to 100 million using our vocabulary lists and awesome videos created by fellow YouTubers. If you want to explore more fascinating content from these talented creators, double click on the video’s title while the video is playing to jump to YouTube!
From Zero to 10 & More!
The beauty of Chinese counting is that it follows a logical pattern. In most cases, each digit must be represented in speech. Let’s start with the basics, zero to 10.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When to use 二 (èr) and when to use 两 /兩 (liǎng)? 二 (èr) is generally used when counting, performing math or as an ordinal number. For example, the 2nd is expressed 第二 (dì èr). Whereas, when you want to say “two of” something 两 /兩 (liǎng) is used in front of the appropriate measure word. For example, 两个星期 (liǎng gè xīng qī) two weeks. 两 /兩 (liǎng) is also used when telling time. For example, 2 o’clock is expressed 两点(liǎng diǎn).
|
ARABIC NUMERAL / ENGLISH |
PINYIN | CHINESE Simplified (Traditional) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 / zero | línɡ | 零 |
| 1 / one | yī | 一 |
| 2 / two | èr / liǎnɡ | 二 / 两(兩) |
| 3 / three | sān | 三 |
| 4 / four | sì | 四 |
| 5 / five | wǔ | 五 |
| 6 / six | liù | 六 |
| 7 / seven | qī | 七 |
| 8 / eight | bā | 八 |
| 9 / nine | jiǔ | 九 |
| 10 / ten | shí | 十 |
From 11 to 99
11- 19 are formed by saying 十 (shí) plus the second number. For example, 11 is 十一 (shí yī).
For multiples of 10, the multiplier precedes the 十 (shí). Thus, 20 is stated 二十 (èrshí). It can be thought of in these terms: 2×10+2. In compound numbers, units are added to the 10s. Thus, 99 is 九十九 (jiǔ shí jiǔ) or 9×10+9.
| ARABIC NUMERAL | HOW TO READ | PINYIN | CHINESE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 10+1 | shí yī | 十一 |
| 12 | 10+2 | shí èr | 十二 |
| 13 | 10+3 | shí sān | 十三 |
| 18 | 10+8 | shí bā | 十八 |
| 20 | 2x10 | shí èr | 十二 |
| 22 | 2x10+2 | èr shí èr | 二十二 |
| 30 | 3x10 | sān shí | 三十 |
| 31 | 3x10+1 | sān shí yī | 三十一 |
| 40 | 4x10 | sì shí | 四十 |
| 50 | 5x10 | wǔ shí | 五十 |
| 90 | 9x10 | jiǔ shí | 九十 |
| 99 | 9x10+9 | jiǔ shí jiǔ | 九十九 |
From 100 to 999
Zeros are pronounced when they come between two digits.
|
ARABIC NUMERAL / ENGLISH |
PINYIN | CHINESE Simplified (Traditional) |
|---|---|---|
| Hundred | bǎi | 百 |
| 100 | yì bǎi | 一百 |
| 200 | èr bǎi / liǎnɡ bǎi | 二百 / 两百 (兩百) |
| 204 | èr bǎi línɡ sì / liǎnɡ bǎi línɡ sì | 二百零四 / 两百零四 (兩百零四) |
| 700 | qī bǎi | 七百 |
| 915 | jiǔ bǎi yī shí wǔ | 九百一十五 |
| 999 | jiǔ bǎi jiǔ shí jiǔ | 九百九十九 |
From 1000 & Up
POINTS OF INTEREST: Notice that the last zero in 7,080 is not pronounced. This is because it does not come between two other digits. In the case of 1,001, where two zeros come together in succession between two non-zero digits, only one is pronounced. Also, Mandarin has two units that English does not, ten thousand (万 / wàn) and hundred million (亿 / yì).
|
ARABIC NUMERALS / ENGLISH |
PINYIN | CHINESE |
|---|---|---|
| thousand | qiān | 千 |
| ten thousand | wàn | 万 |
| 100 million | yì | 亿 |
| 1,000 | yīqiān | 一千 |
| 1,001 | yīqiān líng yī | 一千零一 |
| 1,065 | yīqiān líng liùshíwǔ | 一千零六十五 |
| 1,200 | yīqiān èrbǎi | 一千二百 |
| 7,080 | qīqiān bāshí | 七千八十 |
| 9,999 | jiǔqiān jiǔbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ | 九千九百九十九 |
| 10,000 | yī wàn | 一万 |
| 10,046 | yī wàn líng sìshíliù | 一万零四十六 |
| 10,725 | yī wàn líng qībǎi èrshíwǔ | 一万零七百二十五 |
| 1,000,000 | yībǎi wàn | 一百万 |
| 100,000,000 | yī yì | 一亿 |