Chinese Numbers and Counting: A Complete Guide
Master Chinese numbers from basic counting to complex numerical expressions. Learn the patterns and rules for counting in Mandarin Chinese.
Introduction to Chinese Numbers
Chinese numbers follow a logical and consistent pattern that makes them relatively easy to learn. Unlike English, which has irregular number names (eleven, twelve, etc.), Chinese numbers are built systematically.
Basic Numbers (0-10)
Let’s start with the fundamental numbers:
| Number | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 零 | líng |
| 1 | 一 | yī |
| 2 | 二 | èr |
| 3 | 三 | sān |
| 4 | 四 | sì |
| 5 | 五 | wǔ |
| 6 | 六 | liù |
| 7 | 七 | qī |
| 8 | 八 | bā |
| 9 | 九 | jiǔ |
| 10 | 十 | shí |
Numbers 11-99
Chinese numbers from 11-99 follow a simple pattern:
Teens (11-19)
For numbers 11-19, use the pattern: ten + digit
- 11 = 十一 (shí yī) - literally “ten one”
- 12 = 十二 (shí èr) - literally “ten two”
- 15 = 十五 (shí wǔ) - literally “ten five”
Tens (20, 30, 40, etc.)
For multiples of ten, use: digit + ten
- 20 = 二十 (èr shí) - literally “two ten”
- 30 = 三十 (sān shí) - literally “three ten”
- 90 = 九十 (jiǔ shí) - literally “nine ten”
Compound Numbers (21-99)
For numbers like 21, 35, 47, use: digit + ten + digit
- 21 = 二十一 (èr shí yī) - literally “two ten one”
- 35 = 三十五 (sān shí wǔ) - literally “three ten five”
- 99 = 九十九 (jiǔ shí jiǔ) - literally “nine ten nine”
Large Numbers
Chinese uses a different system for large numbers. Instead of thousands, it uses:
- 百 (bǎi) = hundred (100)
- 千 (qiān) = thousand (1,000)
- 万 (wàn) = ten thousand (10,000)
Examples:
- 100 = 一百 (yī bǎi)
- 1,000 = 一千 (yī qiān)
- 10,000 = 一万 (yī wàn)
- 100,000 = 十万 (shí wàn)
- 1,000,000 = 一百万 (yī bǎi wàn)
Measure Words (量词)
In Chinese, you can’t simply say “three books” or “two people.” You need to use measure words between the number and the noun.
Common Measure Words:
- 个 (gè) - general measure word
- 本 (běn) - for books
- 只 (zhī) - for animals
- 位 (wèi) - for people (polite)
- 张 (zhāng) - for flat objects
Examples:
- 三个人 (sān gè rén) - three people
- 两本书 (liǎng běn shū) - two books
- 五只猫 (wǔ zhī māo) - five cats
Special Cases
The Number 2
When counting, use 二 (èr), but when specifying quantities, use 两 (liǎng):
- Counting: 一, 二, 三… (yī, èr, sān…)
- Quantity: 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) - two people
The Number 1
When saying “one” in phone numbers, addresses, or years, use 幺 (yāo) instead of 一 (yī):
- Phone: 138-幺二三四 (yāo sān bā - yāo èr sān sì)
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Write these numbers in Chinese
- 7
- 16
- 25
- 48
- 100
Exercise 2: Translate to English
- 三十三
- 五十六
- 八十一
- 九十九
- 一百
Tips for Mastery
- Practice daily: Count objects around you in Chinese
- Use flashcards: Create cards with numbers and their Chinese characters
- Listen to native speakers: Pay attention to tone changes
- Write characters: Practice writing Chinese number characters
- Use in context: Try to use numbers in simple sentences
Conclusion
Chinese numbers are logical and systematic. Once you understand the basic patterns, you can easily construct any number. Practice regularly, and soon you’ll be counting in Chinese with confidence!