Numbers in Chinese
The Chinese word for "numbers" is 数字 (shù zì). Below are 35 Chinese words for numbers, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 1 to HSK 7-9, in the order a learner meets them.
For any number written out in characters and pinyin, use the Chinese number converter.
The 14 words to learn first
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 零 | líng | zero | 1 |
| 一 | yī | one | 1 |
| 二 | èr | two | 1 |
| 三 | sān | three | 1 |
| 四 | sì | four | 1 |
| 五 | wǔ | five | 1 |
| 六 | liù | six | 1 |
| 七 | qī | seven | 1 |
| 八 | bā | eight | 1 |
| 九 | jiǔ | nine | 1 |
| 十 | shí | ten | 1 |
| 百 | bǎi | hundred | 1 |
| 千 | qiān | thousand | 1 |
| 万 | wàn | ten thousand | 2 |
Numbers and Measure Words HSK 2 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 两 | liǎng | two | 1 |
| 公斤 | gōng jīn | kilogram (kg) | 3 |
| 元 | yuán | yuan (currency unit); first; primary | 1 |
| 张 | zhāng | to open; to spread; sheet (classifier for flat objects) | 3 |
| 件 | jiàn | item (measure word) | 1 |
| 次 | cì | time(s); occurrence | 2 |
| 号 | hào | number; day of the month; size | 1 |
Numbers, fractions & finance HSK 4 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 亿 | yì | 100 million | 5 |
| 千万 | qiān wàn | ten million | 4 |
| 公里 | gōng lǐ | kilometer | 4 |
| 俩 | liǎ | two (colloquial equivalent of 两个) | 4 |
Measurement, Quantity & Units HSK 5 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 单独 | dān dú | alone, separately | 5 |
| 等于 | děng yú | to equal | 5 |
| 滴 | dī | drop; classifier for drops | 6 |
| 吨 | dūn | ton | 5 |
| 分布 | fēn bù | to be distributed | 5 |
| 均匀 | jūn yún | even, uniform | 6 |
| 颗 | kē | classifier: slightly larger round things (e.g. grapes) | 5 |
| 厘米 | lí mǐ | centimeter | 5 |
| 立方 | lì fāng | cubic | 7-9 |
| 粒 | lì | classifier: small grain-like things (rice, pills) | 6 |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
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- nature and animals
- shopping and money
- directions
- greetings and everyday phrases
- pronouns
- measure words
- house and home
- everyday verbs
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "numbers" in Chinese?
数字 (shù zì), meaning "number; numeral". The most common words in this topic are 零 (líng, zero), 一 (yī, one), 二 (èr, two), 三 (sān, three).
How many Chinese words for numbers do I need?
This page lists 35, from HSK 1 to HSK 7-9. The 14 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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