When studying Chinese, learning to count from 0 to 10 is a great place to start. This tutorial on Mandarin Chinese numbers 0-10 will help you get there in no time.
Mandarin Chinese is spoken by over 1.3 billion people worldwide. However, it’s famously challenging to start learning. Mandarin has five tones, making pronunciation very important. Additionally, there are over 50,000 Chinese characters, but don’t worry—you won’t need to learn them all!
A great place to begin your Mandarin Chinese studies is by learning to count. This is practical if you’re planning to live, study, or work in China because it will enable you to communicate in various day-to-day situations.
If you’re learning Mandarin specifically, it’s relatively simple to learn numbers 0 through 10. Once you master these, you can progress to counting up to 99. For more in-depth study, explore our online Chinese classes.
How to Count to 10 in Mandarin Chinese
To start, we’ve created a table to help you learn Mandarin Chinese numbers 0-10.
| Number | Chinese Character (Hanzi) | Romanized Spelling (Pinyin) | How to Say It |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 零 / 〇 | Líng | Ling |
| 1 | 一 | Yī | Ee |
| 2 | 二 | Èr | Are |
| 3 | 三 | Sān | San |
| 4 | 四 | Sì | Suh |
| 5 | 五 | Wǔ | Woo |
| 6 | 六 | Liù | Lio |
| 7 | 七 | Qī | Chi |
| 8 | 八 | Bā | Ba |
| 9 | 九 | Jiǔ | Geo |
| 10 | 十 | Shí | Shuh |
Using Hand Signals to Count from 0 to 10 in Mandarin Chinese
Learning to count in Mandarin Chinese can be made even easier with hand signals. These signals are commonly used in China to overcome the various dialects and pronunciations.
0: Form a fist with your hand.
1: Raise your index finger.
2: Raise your index and middle fingers.
3: Lift your little finger, ring finger, and middle finger.
4: Extend all your fingers except the thumb.
5: Open your palm, raising all your fingers.
6: Extend your thumb and little finger, curling the rest.
7: Bring all your fingers to a point.
8: Extend your thumb and index finger, curling the others.
9: Bend your index finger slightly while curling the others.
10: Either cross your index and middle fingers or use both hands to create a cross with your index fingers.
Interesting Facts About Mandarin Chinese Numbers
There are many interesting facts about Mandarin Chinese numbers:
- Chinese numbers are logical and simple, with each number from 1 to 10 being one syllable long. Once you learn Mandarin Chinese numbers 0-10, learning the rest becomes easier.
- Most Chinese numbers have two different character options, distinguishing between normal use and financial/mathematical use.
- The number 8 (八) is considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture because it sounds similar to the word for wealth and prosperity (發).
- The number 4 (四) is considered very unlucky because it sounds similar to the word for death (死).
- Even numbers are preferred over odd numbers in China, except for the number 4. For example, people give even numbers of gifts at weddings.
Go Beyond Counting in Mandarin Chinese
Chinese is an interesting language but can be challenging to study alone. Taking group classes or working with a tutor one-on-one can greatly help with intonation and pronunciation, especially when starting.
By mastering Mandarin Chinese numbers 0-10, you’re taking an important first step in learning the language. Explore our online Chinese classes for more comprehensive learning and continue your journey with Mandarin Chinese.
