How to Read Chinese Numbers

Reading Chinese numbers helps you understand prices, salaries and online follower counts. Hundreds and thousands follow a clear pattern; the bigger adjustment is 万 (wàn), meaning 10,000. English speakers often look for a direct equivalent of “million”, but Mandarin builds that amount using a hundred ten-thousands. Start with the units below, then practise saying the full number before trying conversational shortcuts.

How to Build Chinese Numbers: 十, 百 and 千

Build larger quantities by combining a digit with its unit.

The basic digits are 零 (líng) 0, 一 (yī) 1, 二 (èr) 2, 三 (sān) 3, 四 (sì) 4, 五 (wǔ) 5, 六 (liù) 6, 七 (qī) 7, 八 (bā) 8 and 九 (jiǔ) 9.

These are the main units and amounts to recognise:

十 (shí) means ten. Read units from larger to smaller, without an equivalent of the English “and”.

Pinyin here reflects the spoken tone changes of 一 (yī), including yì before 百 (bǎi) and 千 (qiān), and yí before 万 (wàn).

What Does 万 Mean? Chinese Numbers Beyond 10,000

万 (wàn) means 10,000, not 1,000. Multiply the number before it by 10,000.

For a mixed number, split off the last four digits: 12,345 = 1 × 10,000 + 2,345. Read it as 一万两千三百四十五 (yí wàn liǎng qiān sān bǎi sì shí wǔ).

✨ Did you know? Chinese often combines Arabic digits with 万 (wàn), so recognising this unit helps you read prices and online statistics.

When Do You Say 零 in Chinese Numbers?

Use 零 (líng) to mark a gap between non-zero digits:

• 101: 一百零一 (yì bǎi líng yī)
• 1,005: 一千零五 (yì qiān líng wǔ)
• 10,005: 一万零五 (yí wàn líng wǔ)

Consecutive missing places need only one 零. Trailing zeros stay silent: 三百 (sān bǎi) is 300.

For clear prices, keep the full units. 一百五十 (yì bǎi wǔ shí) means 150. You may hear 一百五 (yì bǎi wǔ) for 150 in conversation; it does not mean 105, which needs 零.

二 or 两: Which Word Means “Two”?

Numbers become useful when you can check a real price.

Both mean two, but their positions matter:

• Use 二 (èr) in 二十 (èr shí), 20, and 二十二 (èr shí èr), 22.
• 两千 (liǎng qiān), 2,000, and 两万 (liǎng wàn), 20,000, are common spoken forms.
• For 200, both 二百 (èr bǎi) and 两百 (liǎng bǎi) are used.
• Before a measure word, say 两个 (liǎng ge), “two items”.

Confirm prices aloud or check the digits. For “second”, see the Chinese ordinal numbers guide.

Useful Chinese Words and Phrases

• 一百🔊yì bǎione hundred
• 一千🔊yì qiānone thousand
• 一万🔊yí wànten thousand
• 多少钱？🔊Duōshao qián?How much does it cost?

这个一百元。 (Zhège yì bǎi yuán.) “This costs 100 yuan.”

A Short Everyday Conversation

Final Takeaway

Learn 百 (bǎi), 千 (qiān) and 万 (wàn) as building blocks, with 万 worth 10,000. Practise full numbers with their units and zeros, then use everyday prices to make the patterns familiar.