Quick answer
Learn 0–10 first, then build the rest with 十 and 百
Mandarin numbers are highly regular. Once you know 0–10, you can build 11–99 by combining a tens number, 十 (shí), and a units number. 100 is 一百 (yì bǎi). The main exceptions learners need to practise are the choice between 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng), the tone change of 一 in connected speech, and the different ways numbers are read in dates and phone numbers.
| Number | Chinese | Pinyin | Useful note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 零 | líng | Also used for an internal zero in larger numbers. |
| 1 | 一 | yī | Pronounced yī alone; tone changes in connected speech. |
| 2 | 二 | èr | Use in counting, dates, phone numbers and 二十. |
| 3 | 三 | sān | Same form in simplified and traditional Chinese. |
| 4 | 四 | sì | Often paired with 十 in 四十 (forty). |
| 5 | 五 | wǔ | Third tone; the final is not pronounced like English “woo.” |
| 6 | 六 | liù | Common in informal number slang, but the numeral sense is standard. |
| 7 | 七 | qī | First tone, short and clear. |
| 8 | 八 | bā | First tone; widely associated with prosperity in Chinese number culture. |
| 9 | 九 | jiǔ | Third tone; not the same character as 久 (long time). |
| 10 | 十 | shí | Acts like a building block for 11–99. |
How to make 11–99
The pattern is easier than an English number list because it repeats the same logic. For 11–19, start with 十 and add the unit: 十一 (11), 十二 (12), 十三 (13). For 20–99, say the tens digit, then 十, then the units digit: 二十 (20), 二十一 (21), 九十九 (99).
| Number | Chinese | Pinyin | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 十一 | shí yī | 10 + 1 |
| 12 | 十二 | shí èr | 10 + 2 |
| 19 | 十九 | shí jiǔ | 10 + 9 |
| 20 | 二十 | èr shí | 2 × 10 |
| 21 | 二十一 | èr shí yī | 2 × 10 + 1 |
| 30 | 三十 | sān shí | 3 × 10 |
| 40 | 四十 | sì shí | 4 × 10 |
| 99 | 九十九 | jiǔ shí jiǔ | 9 × 10 + 9 |
| 100 | 一百 | yì bǎi | 1 × 100 |
Do not say 一十 for 10 in ordinary modern Mandarin. Say 十. Do not say 两十 for 20; the standard form is 二十. These two mistakes make a beginner’s number practice sound translated rather than natural.
100 and numbers with zero inside
100 is 一百 (yì bǎi). For 101, use 零 to mark the empty tens place: 一百零一. For 110, the tens place is filled, so write 一百一十. For 111, both places are filled: 一百一十一. The same logic continues with 千 (thousand) and 万 (ten thousand), although learners should master 1–100 before adding larger place values.
Zero is written 零 in normal numerals and also appears as 〇 in some dates, calendars and informal number strings. A date such as 2026 uses digit-by-digit reading and may appear as 二〇二六年, while a quantity such as 206 is 二百零六. The context changes how the zero is written and read.
二 (èr) or 两 (liǎng)?
Both characters can correspond to “two,” but they are not interchangeable. Use 二 in the number sequence, in 二十, in telephone numbers, in years and in many written numerals: 二, 十二, 二十二, 二月. Use 两 before many measure words when counting people or objects: 两个人 (two people), 两本书 (two books), 两杯茶 (two cups of tea).
Exceptions are common enough that you should learn them with examples rather than as one rule. 二十 is standard, not 两十. 十二 is standard, not 十两. 两点 can mean two o’clock or two points. 两百 and 二百 are both heard for 200, while 两千 and 二千 are both heard for 2,000; the preferred form can vary with region and formality. When you are not sure, learn the complete phrase in context instead of swapping the characters by literal translation.
The tone change of 一
一 is written with the first tone, yī, when it stands alone or in an ordinal ending such as 十一 or 第一. In connected speech, its tone changes:
- Before a fourth-tone syllable, 一 is commonly pronounced with second tone: 一个 (yí ge), 一次 (yí cì), 一半 (yí bàn).
- Before first-, second- or third-tone syllables, it is commonly pronounced with fourth tone: 一天 (yì tiān), 一年 (yì nián), 一本 (yì běn).
- In careful counting and in many number strings, speakers may keep a clearer yī pronunciation. Pinyin dictionaries often show the base tone rather than every connected-speech change.
Do not let tone sandhi stop you from learning the written number system. Learn the character and base reading first, then listen to the phrase at normal speed and copy what fluent speakers actually say.
Numbers with measure words
Chinese numbers often need a measure word between the number and the noun. 个 (ge) is a common general measure word, but it is not universal: 一个人 (one person), 两只猫 (two cats), 三本书 (three books), 四辆车 (four cars). A number by itself answers “how many?”; the complete phrase needs the right measure word.
For money, 块 (kuài) is common in speech and 元 (yuán) is standard in written prices. 三块五 means 3.50 yuan in a shopping context. 两块钱 is a natural spoken phrase for two yuan, while a written price may use 2元. For fractions of a yuan, 角 (jiǎo) and 毛 (máo) are both used, with regional and situational differences; 分 (fēn) is the smaller unit.
Phone numbers, dates and time
Phone numbers are normally read digit by digit, not as large whole numbers. In many mainland contexts, the digit 1 is pronounced yāo in phone and emergency numbers to reduce confusion with 7: 110 can sound like yāo yāo líng. This is a usage convention rather than a different written character.
Years are also read digit by digit: 2026年 is commonly 二〇二六年, not 两千零二十六年. Months use 月: 一月, 二月, 三月. Dates use 日 or 号 in different contexts. Days of the week use 星期: 星期一, 星期二, and so on. If you are arranging a meeting, confirm whether the local convention puts the year, month or day first in the written form; Chinese dates commonly move from the largest unit to the smallest.
Formal and financial numerals
Chinese also has formal numerals used on cheques, contracts and financial documents to reduce the chance of alteration: 零, 壹, 贰, 叁, 肆, 伍, 陆, 柒, 捌, 玖, 拾, 佰, 仟, 万. These are not the forms you use for everyday counting. For example, a bank document may use 壹佰元 where an ordinary price uses 一百元. The formal system is a separate writing layer, not a different pronunciation system.
Common mistakes to check
- Using 两 in 二十 instead of 二十.
- Adding 一 before 十 in ordinary 10.
- Using 二 before every measure word instead of learning 两 + measure word.
- Reading a phone number as one large number instead of digit by digit.
- Reading 2026 as 两千零二十六 instead of the common year reading 二〇二六.
- Forgetting that 一 changes tone in connected speech.
- Assuming that one Chinese number has only one pronunciation across every context.
A short practice sequence
Count 1–10 aloud. Then count by tens to 100. Add one unit at a time: 二十一, 二十二, 二十三. Read a phone number digit by digit, then read a date and a price. Finally, make a complete phrase with a measure word, such as 两本书 or 三杯茶. This sequence trains the written form, the sound and the sentence pattern together.