Numbers – 数字

Numbers

Cardinal Numbers

The cardinal numbers indicate the quantity.

十 (shí) ten

e.g.

十一 (shí yī) 11

二十 (èr shí) 20

三十一 (sān shí yī) 31

 

百 (bǎi) hundred

e.g.

一百 (yī bǎi) 100

一百零二 (yībǎi líng èr) 102

一百二 (十) (yībǎi èr shí) 120

一百二十三 (yī bǎi èrshísān) 123

千 (qiān) thousand

e.g.

一千 (yī qiān) 1000

一千零二 (yīqiān líng èr) 1002

一千零二十 (yīqiān líng èr shí) 1020

一千零二十三 (yīqiān líng èr shí sān) 1023

一千三（百）(yī qiān sān bǎi) 1300

一千三百四（十）(yī qiān sānbǎi sì shí) 1340

一千三百四十五 (yī qiān sānbǎi sìshíwǔ) 1345

万 (wàn) ten thousand

e.g.

一万 (yī wàn) 10,000

一万零一 (yī wàn líng yī) 10,001

一万零二十 (yī wàn líng èrshí) 10,020

一万零二百 (yīwàn líng èrbǎi) 10,200

一万一（千） (yīwàn yīqiān) 11,000

一万一千三（百）(yīwàn yīqiān sānbǎi) 11,300

一万一千三百四（十）(yīwàn yīqiān sānbǎi sìshí) 11,340

一万一千三百四十五 (yīwàn yīqiān sānbǎi sìshíwǔ) 11,345

一万一千零二 (yīwàn yīqiān líng èr) 11,002

一万一千零二十三 (yīwàn yīqiān líng èr shí sān) 11,023

 

亿 (yì) hundred million

e.g.

一亿两千三百四十五万六千七百八十九 (yīyì liǎngqiān sānbǎi sìshíwǔ wàn liùqiān qībǎi bāshíjiǔ) 123,456,789

四亿五千万 (sì yì wǔqiān wàn) 450,000,000

Note that when there are several 0 together in between, you just need to say it out once.

In the multi-digit numbers, use 二，, not 两for tens place and ones place, as 22(二十二). Before the百(hundred)’s place, either 两 or 二 can be used, as in 200(二百/两百). When used before the “千”(qiān, thousand)、“万”(wàn, ten thousand) or “亿”(yì, hundred million) places, “两” is much more frequently used.

e.g. 

2000(两千);

22222(两万两千二百二十二);

200000000(两亿)

Ordinal Numbers

The ordinal numbers indicate the sequence of a set of things, which show the rank or position.  

第 + number

e.g.

第一 (dì yī) the first

第三 (dì sān) third

第七 (dì qī) seventh

The ordinal numbers usually precede a measure word, but in certain cases, it could also precede a noun directly without the measure word and “第”.

e.g.

二楼 (èr lóu) 2nd floor

三层 (sān céng) 3rd layer

13号楼 (13 hào lóu) Building 13

205房间 (205 fángjiān) Room 205

302路车 (302 lù chē) 302 Bus

Note that instead of “两”, “二” is used as an ordinal number, indicate the sequence.