How to count from 0 to 100 in Chinese?
A simpler process than you might think.
If you’re learning Chinese, you’ve likely come across its numerical system. Like many aspects of Chinese, it’s unique in its simplicity and structure.
Unlike English, where we have specific words for twenty, thirty, forty, and so forth, Chinese builds these words systematically.
Understanding 0 to 10
Zero in Chinese is “零” (líng). It’s a handy number to know and will come up often as you learn to count.
The numbers one to ten have unique names, just as in English. In Chinese, they are:
1 — 一 (yī)
2 — 二 (èr)
3 — 三 (sān)
4 — 四 (sì)
5 — 五 (wǔ)
6 — 六 (liù)
7 — 七 (qī)
8 — 八 (bā)
9 — 九 (jiǔ)
10 — 十 (shí)
Let’s pay closer attention to the first three.
“一” (yī) represents one, resembling the universal sign of a single straight line.
“二” (èr), meaning two, logically takes the shape of two lines. Following the pattern.
“三” (sān), meaning three, consists of three horizontal lines. A pattern so clear, it could hardly be forgotten. Recognizing these visual cues can be helpful in your language-learning process.
Once you have memorized these characters, counting becomes a straightforward process. Here’s how to do it:
Counting from 11 to 19
If you’ve already grasped the above content, congratulations! You’ve done the hardest part. Because from eleven onwards, the numbers follow a logical pattern.
Let’s take eleven for instance, which is “十一” (shí yī) in Chinese. Now, “十” (shí) stands for ‘ten’, and “一” (yī) stands for ‘one’. Put them together, and you’ve got ‘ten one’, or as we would say in English, eleven. Neat, right?
Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, but what about the rest?” Well, the same pattern applies.
Twelve, or “十二” (shí èr), is ‘ten two’.
Thirteen, or “十三” (shí sān), is ‘ten three’.
Fourteen, or “十四” (shí sì), is ‘ten four’.
Fifteen, or “十五” (shí wǔ), is ‘ten five’.
The list goes on, right up to nineteen, which is “十九” (shí jiǔ) or ‘ten nine’.
The Logic of Counting 20–99
After nineteen, we reach twenty, or “二十” (èr shí). You might notice something interesting here. “二十” is simply ‘two ten’. There’s no new word to learn.
The same pattern follows through the rest of the tens: “三十” (sān shí) ‘three ten’ for thirty, “四十” (sì shí) ‘four ten’ for forty, “五十” (wǔ shí) ‘five ten’ for fifty and so on。
How about numbers like twenty-one or thirty-two? Again, it’s simple. Twenty-one is “二十一” (èr shí yī) literally ‘two ten one'.
For thirty-five, you simply say “三十五” (sān shí wǔ), which literally means ‘three ten five’. Similarly, forty-seven is “四十七” (sì shí qī), or ‘four ten seven’. For fifty-six, you’d say “五十六” (wǔ shí liù), literally translating to ‘five ten six’.
Moving further along, the number seventy-four is “七十四” (qī shí sì) or ‘seven ten four’. Eighty-two would be “八十二” (bā shí èr), ‘eight ten two’. For ninety-nine, you’d say “九十九” (jiǔ shí jiǔ), which is ‘nine ten nine’.
Now, let’s put this into practice. How do you say 64 in Chinese?
You’re correct if you said, “六十四” (liù shí sì).
How To Say 100
The number 100 in Chinese is expressed as “一百” (yī bǎi), which is a direct translation of ‘one hundred’. The structure is as straightforward as in previous examples.
The character “一” (yī) stands for ‘one’, and “百” (bǎi) means ‘hundred’. Together, “一百” (yī bǎi) forms the complete representation of the number 100.
Numbers in the Chinese culture
Numbers in Chinese culture often carry connotations beyond their numerical value.
The number four “四” (sì), is considered unlucky because it sounds similar to the word for death “死” (sǐ). On the other hand, eight “八” (bā) is particularly favored because it sounds like “发” (fā), suggesting prosperity and wealth.
The number nine “九” (jiǔ) has a phonetic similarity to the word for “long-lasting” “久” (jiǔ). Because of this, it’s often associated with longevity and eternity.
Learning a new language is always a challenge, but reaching “一百” (yī bǎi) in your counting is a significant milestone in your Chinese learning journey. Keep practicing and soon you’ll be able to count as easily in Chinese as you can in your native language!
