How do Chinese numbers work?
Published: April 29, 2026
Short Answer
Chinese numbers follow a remarkably logical system that is easier to learn than English numbers once you get past the first ten. The numbers 1-10 are the foundation, and all larger numbers are built by simple combination -- there are no special words for eleven, twelve, or twenty. Chinese also has culturally significant lucky and unlucky numbers that affect daily life, from phone numbers to floor numbering in buildings.
A traditional Chinese abacus with wooden beads on metal rods
Deep Dive
Numbers 1-10: The Foundation
| Number | Character | Pinyin | Notes |
|-----|-----|-----|----|
| 1 | 一 | yī | Also used as the indefinite article "a" |
| 2 | 二 | èr | 两 (liǎng) is used before measure words for "two of something" |
| 3 | 三 | sān | |
| 4 | 四 | sì | Considered unlucky (sounds like 死, sǐ, death) |
| 5 | 五 | wǔ | |
| 6 | 六 | liù | Considered lucky (sounds like 溜, smooth/fluent) |
| 7 | 七 | qī | |
| 8 | 八 | bā | Very lucky (sounds like 发, fā, prosperity) |
| 9 | 九 | jiǔ | Associated with longevity (sounds like 久, jiǔ, long-lasting) |
| 10 | 十 | shí | The base for all larger numbers |
Numbers 11-99: Simple Combination
Unlike English, which invents new words for 11-19, Chinese simply combines the words:
- 11 = 十一 (shí yī) -- literally "ten one"
- 15 = 十五 (shí wǔ) -- "ten five"
- 20 = 二十 (èr shí) -- "two ten"
- 25 = 二十五 (èr shí wǔ) -- "two ten five"
- 99 = 九十九 (jiǔ shí jiǔ) -- "nine ten nine"
The pattern is consistent: tens digit + 十 + ones digit. There are no irregular forms.
Numbers 100-999
- 100 = 一百 (yī bǎi)
- 250 = 两百五十 (liǎng bǎi wǔ shí) -- Note: use 两 not 二 before 百
- 999 = 九百九十九 (jiǔ bǎi jiǔ shí jiǔ)
A key rule: use 两 (liǎng) instead of 二 (èr) before 百 (hundred), 千 (thousand), and 万 (ten thousand) when counting quantities. 二 is used for the digit itself, in phone numbers, and in the number 20.
Numbers 1,000 and Beyond
- 1,000 = 一千 (yī qiān)
- 10,000 = 一万 (yī wàn) -- Chinese groups by ten thousands, not thousands
- 100,000 = 十万 (shí wàn) -- "ten ten-thousands"
- 1,000,000 = 一百万 (yī bǎi wàn) -- "one hundred ten-thousands"
- 100,000,000 = 一亿 (yī yì) -- The next major unit after 万
The biggest mental shift for English speakers is that Chinese uses 万 (wàn, 10,000) as a base unit where English uses "thousand." So 50,000 is 五万 (wǔ wàn, "five ten-thousands"), not "fifty thousand." This takes practice but becomes natural quickly.
Dates and Time
- Years are read digit by digit: 2026 = 二零二六年 (èr líng èr liù nián)
- Months are number + 月: April = 四月 (sì yuè)
- Days are number + 号: 29th = 二十九号 (èr shí jiǔ hào)
- Full date: 2026年4月29日 = 二零二六年四月二十九号
- Phone numbers are read digit by digit: 138-0000-1234 = 一三八零零零零一二三四
Measure Words: A Quick Introduction
In Chinese, you cannot just say "three books." You need a measure word between the number and the noun: 三本书 (sān běn shū). Different nouns require different measure words based on their shape, category, or function. 本 (běn) is used for books, 个 (gè) is the general-purpose default, and 只 (zhī) is used for animals. This is covered in depth in our measure words guide.
Lucky and Unlucky Numbers in Chinese Culture
Numbers carry strong cultural weight in China:
- 8 (八, bā) is extremely lucky. The Beijing Olympics started on 08/08/08 at 8:08 PM. Phone numbers and license plates with 8s sell for premium prices.
- 6 (六, liù) is lucky, symbolizing smoothness and good fortune.
- 9 (九, jiǔ) represents longevity and is associated with the emperor.
- 4 (四, sì) is avoided wherever possible. Many buildings skip floor 4 (and 14, 24, etc.), similar to how Western buildings sometimes skip floor 13.
- Combinations matter: 168 (yī liù bā) sounds like "一路发" (一路发, prosperity all the way). 520 (wǔ èr líng) sounds like "我爱你" (wǒ ài nǐ, I love you).