Chinese (Mandarin) Numbers 0 to 9: Complete Guide with Pronunciation

Chinese numbers 0 to 9 are the foundation of the entire Mandarin number system. Here's everything you need to know.

Chinese Numbers 0-9

Understanding Mandarin Tones

Mandarin is a tonal language, which means the same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone you use. There are four main tones plus a neutral tone.

The Four Tones:

1. First tone (¯): High and flat, like singing a sustained high note
2. Second tone (´): Rising, like asking a question in English "What?"
3. Third tone (ˇ): Dip down then rise, starts mid, dips low, rises slightly
4. Fourth tone (`): Sharp falling tone, like saying "No!" firmly

Why tones matter:

The syllable "ma" means four different things depending on tone:

• mā (first tone) = mother (妈)
• má (second tone) = hemp (麻)
• mǎ (third tone) = horse (马)
• mà (fourth tone) = scold (骂)

For numbers, getting the tone wrong won't usually cause confusion since context makes it clear, but it's still important for sounding natural.

Character Recognition

Chinese characters for 1-3 are beautifully simple and among the easiest to learn.

Simple strokes:

• 一 (1): One horizontal line
• 二 (2): Two horizontal lines
• 三 (3): Three horizontal lines

These are literally pictographic representations of the numbers.

More complex characters:

• 四 (4): Enclosed box shape
• 五 (5): Looks like a cross or "X" with a top stroke
• 六 (6): Has a roof-like top (亠) with flowing strokes below
• 七 (7): Horizontal stroke with a hook down
• 八 (8): Two strokes opening outward at the top (like spreading)
• 九 (9): Hook shape with a horizontal stroke
• 零 (0): More complex character used for zero

The Unlucky Number: 4

In Chinese culture, the number 4 (四, sì) is considered extremely unlucky because it sounds nearly identical to the word for death (死, sǐ). Both are pronounced "si" with only a slight tonal difference.

How this affects daily life:

• Many buildings skip the 4th floor entirely (going 3rd, 5th)
• Some buildings skip all floors with 4: 4th, 14th, 24th, 34th, 40-49
• Phone numbers without 4 are more valuable
• License plates without 4 cost more
• Avoid giving gifts in sets of four

This superstition is taken very seriously throughout Chinese-speaking regions.

The Lucky Numbers: 6, 8, 9

While 4 is unlucky, several numbers are considered very lucky.

Six (六, liù): Sounds like "flow" (流, liú), symbolizing smooth progress and things going well. "六六大顺" (liù liù dà shùn) means "everything goes smoothly."

Eight (八, bā): The luckiest number. Sounds like "prosper" or "wealth" (发, fā). Phone numbers and license plates with 8 are extremely valuable. The Beijing Olympics started on 8/8/08 at 8:08 PM for this reason.

Nine (九, jiǔ): Sounds like "long-lasting" (久, jiǔ), representing longevity and eternity. Often used in weddings.

Pronunciation Guide

The "q" and "x" sounds:

These don't exist in English and require practice.

• Q (in 七, qī): Like "ch" but with your tongue further forward, almost like "tsee"
• X (not in 0-9, but common): Like "sh" but softer, tongue further forward

The third tone challenge:

The third tone (ˇ) is tricky. In isolation, it dips down then rises. But when followed by another third tone, the first one becomes second tone.

Example: 五 (wǔ) + 九 (jiǔ) = wú jiǔ (59) The first third tone changes to second tone for flow.

The retroflex "r":

In 二 (èr), the "r" is a retroflex sound. Curl your tongue back slightly, but don't roll it. It's between English "r" and "er" sound.

Using 二 vs 两 (liǎng)

Chinese has two words for "two," and knowing when to use each is important.

二 (èr):

• Used when counting: 一, 二, 三 (one, two, three)
• Used in numbers: 十二 (12), 二十 (20)
• Used for phone numbers: read digit by digit
• Used for ordinal numbers: 第二 (second)

两 (liǎng):

• Used with measure words: 两个 (two items), 两本 (two books)
• Used in spoken quantities: "two people" = 两个人
• Sounds more natural in conversation

Think of 二 as "two" in counting/math and 两 as "a couple of" in speech.

Reading Phone Numbers

Chinese phone numbers are read digit by digit using the standard numbers.

For number 1 (yī), there's a special convention: when reading phone numbers or other digit sequences, people often say "yāo" instead of "yī" to avoid confusion, as "yī" can sound similar to other numbers in rapid speech.

Example: 139-8764 Standard: yī sān jiǔ, bā qī liù sì Common: yāo sān jiǔ, bā qī liù sì

Usage in Daily Life

Prices and money:

• ¥5 = 五块 (wǔ kuài) or 五元 (wǔ yuán)
• Chinese currency denominations use numbers directly

Dates:

• January 5th = 一月五号 (yī yuè wǔ hào)
• Month numbers use standard 1-12

Time:

• 3:00 = 三点 (sān diǎn)
• 9:45 = 九点四十五分 (jiǔ diǎn sì shí wǔ fēn)

Addresses:

• Numbers are read in standard form
• Room 308 = 三零八 (sān líng bā) - note the use of 零 for zero

Simplified vs Traditional Characters

Chinese has two writing systems: simplified (used in mainland China and Singapore) and traditional (used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau).

For numbers 0-9, most characters are identical in both systems:

Numbers are one of the few categories where simplified and traditional characters are largely the same.

Building Larger Numbers

These nine numbers plus zero form the basis for all Chinese numbers. Understanding how they combine is straightforward:

• 十 (shí) = 10
• 十一 (shí yī) = 11 (literally "ten one")
• 二十 (èr shí) = 20 (literally "two ten")
• 二十三 (èr shí sān) = 23 (literally "two ten three")

Chinese numbers are beautifully logical and consistent once you master 0-9.

Common Mistakes Learners Make

Mixing up tones: Saying 四 (sì, four) with the wrong tone can make it sound like 十 (shí, ten). Practice the tones!

Using 二 instead of 两: Saying "二个" instead of "两个" sounds unnatural, like saying "two items" instead of "a couple of items."

Forgetting 零 in numbers: In numbers like 305, you must say 三零五 (sān líng wǔ), not skip the zero.

Pronouncing "q" like English "k": 七 (qī) is not "kee" - it's closer to "chee" with your tongue further forward.

Regional Variations

While Mandarin numbers are standard across China, there are some regional differences:

Mainland China: Uses simplified characters and standard Mandarin pronunciation.

Taiwan: Uses traditional characters (though numbers look the same). Pronunciation is similar with slight accent differences.

Singapore: Uses simplified characters. Pronunciation influenced by local dialect but standard Mandarin is understood.

Note: Cantonese (spoken in Hong Kong and parts of southern China) uses the same characters but completely different pronunciations. That's a different number system entirely.

Quick Takeaways

• Chinese numbers 0-9 use simple characters, with 1-3 being just horizontal lines
• Tones are crucial - the same sound with different tones means different numbers
• Number 4 is unlucky (sounds like death); 6, 8, and 9 are lucky
• Use 二 (èr) for counting and math, 两 (liǎng) with measure words and in speech
• Characters are the same in simplified and traditional systems
• Read phone numbers digit by digit, often using "yāo" instead of "yī" for clarity
• These nine numbers plus zero form the foundation for all Chinese counting

Master these basics and you'll have the foundation for all Chinese numbers.

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