0️⃣Beginner
零
Zero
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
今天是零度。
It is zero degrees today.
零 means zero. In numbers such as 105, it can also mark a gap between place values.
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40 words
Learn numbers from zero to ten, see how larger numbers are formed, and practice prices and quantities. Pay special attention to 二 and 两.
Zero
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
今天是零度。
It is zero degrees today.
零 means zero. In numbers such as 105, it can also mark a gap between place values.
One
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我要一杯茶。
I would like a cup of tea.
一 is shown with its base tone. Its spoken tone often changes in connected speech.
Two
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
二加三等于五。
Two plus three equals five.
Use 二 when counting in order and in numbers such as 十二 and 二十. Compare 两 before many measure words.
Three
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我要三个包子。
I would like three filled steamed buns.
Put a measure word such as 个 between the number and the item in this pattern.
Four
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这里有四个人。
There are four people here.
Listen carefully to distinguish sì (four) from shí (ten).
Five
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我要五个饺子。
I would like five dumplings.
五 means five.
Six
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我们有六个人。
There are six of us.
A useful pattern for telling restaurant staff the size of your group.
Seven
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
现在是七点。
It is seven o'clock now.
点 is used for o'clock in this example.
Eight
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我有八本书。
I have eight books.
本 is a common measure word for books.
Nine
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我们九点见。
We will meet at nine o'clock.
The context tells you whether nine is in the morning or evening.
Ten
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个十元。
This costs ten yuan.
十 is ten; 十一 is eleven.
Eleven
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
现在是十一点。
It is eleven o'clock now.
Eleven is formed as "ten + one."
Twelve
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我有十二本书。
I have twelve books.
十二 uses 二, not 两.
Twenty
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个二十元。
This costs twenty yuan.
Twenty is formed as "two × ten."
Twenty-one
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个二十一元。
This costs twenty-one yuan.
Twenty-one is formed as "two × ten + one."
One hundred
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个一百元。
This costs one hundred yuan.
一百 means one hundred. 一百零五 means 105.
One thousand
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个一千元。
This costs one thousand yuan.
一千 means one thousand.
Two (before many measure words)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
我要两杯茶。
I would like two cups of tea.
Say 两杯茶 for two cups of tea. Use 二 for counting "一、二、三" and in 十二. This is a starting rule; 二 and 两 have additional uses.
How much / how many
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这个多少钱？
How much does this cost?
多少钱 asks about price. The question already contains a question word, so a neutral price question does not need 吗.
Yuan
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
这杯茶十元。
This cup of tea costs ten yuan.
元 is a standard currency unit used for prices in renminbi. You will also often hear 块 in everyday speech.
hundred
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
三百。
Three hundred.
Structural unit for hundreds. 一百 (100), 二百 (200), etc.
thousand
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
三千。
Three thousand.
Structural unit for thousands. 一千 (1000), 二千 (2000), etc.
ten thousand
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一万。
Ten thousand.
Structural unit for ten thousands. Chinese groups by four zeros.
general measure word
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一个人。
One person.
measure word (books)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
两本。
Two copies.
measure word (flat objects)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一张。
One piece.
measure word (long things)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一条鱼。
One fish.
measure word (animals)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一只猫。
One cat.
cup; measure word (cups)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一杯水。
One cup of water.
bottle; measure word (bottles)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一瓶水。
One bottle of water.
measure word (items/clothes)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一件。
One item.
pair; measure word (pairs)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一双。
One pair.
piece; yuan (colloquial)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
三块。
Three yuan.
Colloquial for 元. 三块钱 = 三元.
10 cents (1/10 yuan)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一角。
One dime (10 cents).
cent (1/100 yuan)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一分。
One cent.
Currency unit: 1/100 of a yuan. Different from 分钟 (minute).
time(s); occurrence
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一次。
One time.
Counts occurrences. 遍 means from start to finish. 看一次 (watch once) vs 看一遍 (watch all the way through).
time(s) (full cycle)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
读一遍。
Read once (all the way through).
Means from start to finish. 次 just counts occurrences.
kilogram
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一公斤。
One kilogram.
Chinese pound (500g)
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一斤。
One jin (500g).
In mainland China, one 斤 = 500 grams. Not a universal unit.
meter
No Mandarin Chinese voice found on this device, so audio is unavailable.
Example
一米。
One meter.
Start with 个、杯、本、张、条 and 只. Learn them together with useful nouns and short requests.
Read moreBoth 二 and 两 mean "two." Learn a practical starting rule for counting, quantities, and telling the time.
Read moreLearn the four tones and the neutral tone, then practice with a few useful words instead of memorizing pitch marks alone.
Read more