Chinese Numbers 1-10: How to Count, Write, and Pronounce Them

沉浸 TeamAugust 16, 20265 min read

Chinese numbers 1-10 are the highest-value ten words in the language: learn them and you can already build every number to 99, say dates, count money, and read phone numbers. Here they are, then everything the list unlocks.

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)

Zero is 零 (líng). Pronunciation notes: 四 (sì) and 十 (shí) are the classic confusable pair (s vs sh, falling vs rising tone), 七 starts with a "ch" sound, and 九 sounds like "jyo," not "jew." Every linked character above plays native audio, which beats any written description.

Counting 11 to 99: one rule, no exceptions

Chinese numbers are gloriously regular. Teens are "ten-something," tens are "something-ten":

11 = 十一 (shíyī): ten-one
12 = 十二 (shí'èr): ten-two
20 = 二十 (èrshí): two-ten
21 = 二十一 (èrshíyī): two-ten-one
57 = 五十七 (wǔshíqī): five-ten-seven
99 = 九十九 (jiǔshíjiǔ): nine-ten-nine

No "eleven," no "twenty," no irregular anything. This regularity is one reason mental math in Chinese feels crisp: the words are the arithmetic.

Into the hundreds, thousands, and the 万 twist

100 = 一百 (yìbǎi), using 百 (bǎi)
1,000 = 一千 (yìqiān), using 千 (qiān)
10,000 = 一万 (yíwàn), using 万 (wàn)

The twist: Chinese groups large numbers by ten thousands, not thousands. There's no word for "million"; it's 一百万 (a hundred wàn). It feels alien for a week and then becomes second nature. Two small details worth knowing early: zeros inside a number are spoken (105 = 一百零五, "one hundred zero five"), and 250 as a spoken phrase (二百五 èrbǎiwǔ) is slang for "idiot," so prices avoid saying it that way.

两 vs. 二: the two twos

Chinese has two words for "two." 二 (èr) is for counting and math: 一, 二, 三. 两 (liǎng) is for quantities before a measure word: 两个人 (two people), 两杯茶 (two cups of tea). Say 二个人 and you'll be understood but instantly marked as a beginner; say 两 and you sound like you've done your reading. More on measure words in our Chinese measure words guide.

The tone changes hiding in 一

一 (yī) is the most common tone-shifting word in the language: first tone alone (yī), fourth tone before most syllables (一杯 yìbēi), second tone before a fourth tone (一个 yíge). You don't need to memorize the chart today; you need to know the shifts exist so native audio doesn't confuse you. The full rules live in our tone sandhi guide.

Lucky and unlucky numbers

8 (八 bā) is the lucky one: it rhymes with 发 (fā, to prosper). Phone numbers and license plates with 8s sell for real money, and the Beijing Olympics opened at 8:08 pm on 8/8/2008.
4 (四 sì) is the unlucky one: it sounds like 死 (sǐ, death). Many buildings skip the 4th floor the way Western ones skip the 13th.
6 (六 liù) means smooth sailing (六六大顺), and 9 (九 jiǔ) suggests longevity, sounding like 久 (jiǔ, long-lasting).

This is also why gift money comes in even, 8-heavy amounts; see the etiquette in our red envelope guide.

Numbers in the wild

Phone numbers are read digit by digit, and 1 becomes 幺 (yāo) to avoid mishearing: 138 is yāo-sān-bā.
Hand signs: Chinese counting gestures cover 1-10 on one hand; 6 (thumb and pinky out) and 10 (crossed index fingers, or a fist) surprise newcomers at markets.
Dates and days are pure numbers: August is 八月 ("eight-month"), Monday is 星期一 ("week-one"). Learn ten numbers and you've learned the calendar; see days of the week in Mandarin.
Prices: 块 (kuài) is the everyday word for yuan: 十八块 = 18 yuan.

Frequently asked questions

How do I count 1 to 100 in Chinese?

With the ten words above plus the pattern: number-十-number. 100 itself is 一百. There's genuinely nothing else to memorize; count to 30 out loud once and the whole system clicks.

Why do 一 and 二 sometimes sound different?

一 changes tone by rule (see above), and 二 swaps to 两 before measure words. Those are the only two numbers with any special behavior; three through ten never change.

What are the Chinese characters for numbers on banknotes?

Formal "banker's" numerals (壹, 贰, 叁...) appear on money and contracts because the everyday forms are too easy to alter: add two strokes to 一 and it becomes 三. You only need to recognize them, never write them.

Is Chinese math vocabulary hard after this?

No, it's the same system: 加 (add), 减 (subtract), and the numbers you already know. Even fractions reuse the pattern. The 10 words above are the whole foundation.

Numbers stick fastest with sound and strokes together. Create a free Chenjin account to hear native audio for every number, watch stroke order, and drop 一 through 十 into your flashcards, or print them with the free character practice sheets.