Numbers

1. 一、二、三、四、五

   Yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ

   One, two, three, four, five

   Usage

   Basic numbers 1 to 5

   Grammar Note

   "两 (liǎng)" also means 2 but is used before measure words (e.g., 两个人 = two people).

2. 六、七、八、九、十

   Liù, qī, bā, jiǔ, shí

   Six, seven, eight, nine, ten

   Usage

   Basic numbers 6 to 10

   Grammar Note

   "八 (bā)" is considered lucky in Chinese culture. "十一" = 11, "二十" = 20.

3. 百、千、万

   Bǎi, qiān, wàn

   Hundred, thousand, ten thousand

   Usage

   Units for large numbers

   Grammar Note

   Chinese uses "万 (10,000)" as a counting unit. "一亿" = 100 million. Shared with Japanese 万 system.

4. 零

   Líng

   Zero

   Usage

   The number zero, used in phone numbers and codes

   Grammar Note

   Used in phone numbers and as a linking digit: "两百零五" = 205. Written as "〇" in casual contexts.

5. 几号？

   Jǐ hào?

   What number is it?

   Usage

   Used to ask for a number such as room number or date

   Grammar Note

   "几号" asks for a number or date. Use "今天几号？" (What's today's date?).

6. 两个

   Liǎng gè

   Two (with measure word)

   Usage

   How to say "two" when counting objects

   Grammar Note

   "两" is used before measure words only. "二" stands alone or in sequences: "二十二" (22), "两个人" (2 people).

7. 第一、第二、第三

   Dì yī, dì èr, dì sān

   First, second, third

   Usage

   Ordinal numbers used for ordering or ranking

   Grammar Note

   Prefix "第 (dì)" before any number creates an ordinal. Used in: "第一名 (dì yī míng)" (first place).

8. 一半

   Yī bàn

   Half

   Usage

   Expressing half; used for prices, portions, and quantities

   Grammar Note

   "半 (bàn)" means half/0.5. Used in: "一个半小时" (one and a half hours), "半价 (bànjià)" (half price).

9. 差不多

   Chà bu duō

   About, approximately, almost

   Usage

   Used to express approximate amounts or "about the same"

   Grammar Note

   Literally "the difference is not much". Used for approximate numbers and "more or less the same". Very common in daily speech.

10. 大约

    Dà yuē

    Approximately, about

    Usage

    Used to express approximate time, distance, or amount

    Grammar Note

    "大约" is an adverb placed before quantities: "大约十分钟" (about 10 minutes), "大约五百元" (about 500 yuan).

11. 我27岁

    Wǒ èr shí qī suì

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    Answering when someone asks "nín duō dà niánjì?" (how old are you?)

    Grammar Note

    Age is "number + 岁 (suì)" with no copula 是. Writing it out as 我二十七岁 means exactly the same.

12. 我今年28岁

    Wǒ jīn nián èr shí bā suì

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying that your birthday falls within this year, so your age changes

    Grammar Note

    Mandarin says "今年 + number + 岁" for "I turn N this year"; no verb corresponding to "become" is used.

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