Learn Mandarin Numbers
Numbers are a fundamental part of any language, and Mandarin is no exception. Whether you're shopping, telling time, or simply counting, mastering Mandarin numbers is a key skill. In this section, we’ll cover the basics of numbers in Mandarin, from 1 to 10, and beyond.
1. Basic Numbers (1-10)
First, let's start with the basics. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 in Mandarin:
1 - 一 (Yī)
The number "一" (Yī) is used to represent "one." It's also used in many expressions like “一个” (Yī ge) meaning "one (item)."
2 - 二 (Èr)
"二" (Èr) means "two." You'll hear this frequently when asking for quantities or talking about groups of two.
3 - 三 (Sān)
"三" (Sān) represents "three." It’s also used in phrases like “三天” (Sān tiān) meaning "three days."
4 - 四 (Sì)
"四" (Sì) means "four." It is often used in phrases related to quantity or time, like “四个小时” (Sì ge xiǎoshí), which means "four hours."
5 - 五 (Wǔ)
"五" (Wǔ) represents "five." You can see this number used in daily life, such as “五个人” (Wǔ gè rén) for "five people."
6 - 六 (Liù)
"六" (Liù) means "six." It’s a straightforward number used in all contexts that involve counting.
7 - 七 (Qī)
"七" (Qī) is "seven." It’s commonly used for counting, such as in “七天” (Qī tiān) meaning "seven days."
8 - 八 (Bā)
"八" (Bā) means "eight." This number is considered lucky in Chinese culture, as it sounds like the word for "prosperity."
9 - 九 (Jiǔ)
"九" (Jiǔ) means "nine." It’s used in expressions like “九月” (Jiǔ yuè) for "September."
10 - 十 (Shí)
"十" (Shí) is the number "ten." It’s used to count up to ten and in compound numbers like “十五” (Shí wǔ), which means "fifteen."
2. Compound Numbers (11-99)
Once you know the basic numbers, it’s easy to form compound numbers. Mandarin uses a very logical system for numbers above ten:
11 - 十一 (Shí yī)
"十一" (Shí yī) is “eleven” and is formed by combining “十” (shí) for ten and "一" (yī) for one.
20 - 二十 (Èr shí)
"二十" (Èr shí) means "twenty." For numbers between 21 and 99, you simply use the pattern [number] + 十 (shí) + [number], such as "二十一" (Èr shí yī) for "twenty-one."
99 - 九十九 (Jiǔ shí jiǔ)
"九十九" (Jiǔ shí jiǔ) represents "ninety-nine," combining "九" (jiǔ) for nine and "十" (shí) for ten.
3. Using Numbers in Daily Life
Now that you've learned how to count, let's explore how you can use numbers in real-world conversations:
Telling Time
In Mandarin, time is typically told using a 24-hour format. For example, “现在三点” (Xiànzài sān diǎn) means "It’s 3:00 now."
Shopping
When shopping, you'll often need to ask for prices. For example, "这个多少钱?" (Zhège duōshǎo qián?) means "How much is this?"
Quantity and Measure
Numbers are frequently used for measurements or quantities. For example, “我有三本书” (Wǒ yǒu sān běn shū) means "I have three books."