Numbers & Counting
数词
Read and say numbers including halves
Numbers come before measure words, which come before nouns. This is the basic counting and quantity pattern.
Pay special attention to 二 vs. 两 — Chinese has two words for "two" and they are NOT interchangeable.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Numbers & Counting (数词)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 数词 pattern
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Understanding 数词
Numbers in Chinese are wonderfully logical. Once you learn 1 through 10, you can build nearly any number by combination. Eleven is literally "ten-one" (十一), twenty is "two-tens" (二十), and ninety-nine is "nine-tens-nine" (九十九). The one curveball? Chinese has two words for "two": 二 for counting and sequences, and 两 for quantities ("two of something"). Get that distinction down and numbers become one of the easiest parts of the language. Compare this to English, where you have to memorize weird words like "eleven" and "twelve" that follow no pattern at all. Chinese numbers are pure math — once you know 1-10, you can say any number up to 99 with zero memorization. It is one of the most satisfying things about learning Chinese, and you should feel proud once you can count to 999 without hesitation.
Key Points
- 一 (yī) through 十 (shí) are the building blocks — memorize these first.
- 十一 = 11, 二十 = 20, 二十五 = 25, 九十九 = 99 — purely additive logic.
- 百 (bǎi) = hundred. 一百 = 100, 三百五十 = 350.
- 二 (èr) is for counting (一、二、三…) and ordinals (第二).
- 两 (liǎng) is for quantities before measure words: 两个人, 两杯咖啡.
- 零 (líng) = zero. Used in phone numbers and as a placeholder: 一百零五 = 105.
- 半 (bàn) = half. 八点半 = 8:30, 半个小时 = half an hour.
- 一 changes tone depending on what follows: yī before 4th tone becomes yí (一个 yígè), before other tones becomes yì (一杯 yìbēi). This happens naturally — don't overthink it.
- 千 (qiān) = thousand. You will encounter this when shopping or talking about prices: 两千块 = 2000 yuan.
- Phone numbers are read digit by digit: 一 is often replaced with 幺 (yāo) to avoid confusion with 七 (qī).
Numbers carry cultural weight in China. 八 (8) sounds like 发 (wealth) and is extremely lucky — phone numbers and license plates with 8s are highly prized. 四 (4) sounds like 死 (death) and is avoided — many buildings skip the 4th floor.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
两个人。
Two people.
Use 两 before measure words
八点半。
Half past eight.
我有三百块钱。
I have 300 yuan.
他今年二十五岁。
He is 25 years old this year.
一百零三个学生。
103 students.
零 fills the empty tens place
请给我两杯咖啡。
Please give me two cups of coffee.
这件衣服三百五十块。
This piece of clothing costs 350 yuan.
Shopping — reading a price tag
我的手机号是一三八……
My phone number is 138...
Phone numbers are read digit by digit; 一 often becomes 幺
半个小时以后见。
See you in half an hour.
Making plans with a friend
一共四十二块五。
The total is 42.50 yuan.
At a restaurant — paying the bill
Common Mistakes
Before a measure word, always use 两 for "two," not 二. 二 is for counting in sequences (一、二、三).
When the tens place is empty, insert 零 as a placeholder. 一百五 actually means 150 (short for 一百五十) in casual speech!
For "twenty," use 二十, not 两十. 两 is only used directly before measure words, not before 十.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Quick rule: 两 + measure word (两个, 两杯, 两本); 二 in sequences and math (一二三, 第二, 二十).
To remember 零: it looks a bit like a rain radical on top — picture rain falling into an empty space (zero).
Practice numbers daily: read license plates, prices, phone numbers in Chinese. Fluency with numbers takes repetition.
When paying at a restaurant, listen for 一共 (yígòng, in total) — whatever number follows is your bill. Practice recognizing numbers by ear.
The lucky number 8 (八) and unlucky number 4 (四) are deeply rooted in culture. Knowing this will help you understand why phone numbers with lots of 8s are expensive and why some elevators skip floor 4.
Homework
Write out the following in Chinese characters and pinyin: your age, your phone number, the price of your last meal, the number of students in your class, and a time you woke up today.