Learn Chinese: Numbers 1–20

Learning numbers is a fundamental step in mastering Chinese, as they appear in nearly every daily interaction, from telling time to discussing prices and ages. This lesson covers the numbers from one to twenty, providing the essential building blocks for the entire Chinese counting system. One of the most encouraging aspects of Chinese numerals is their logical and consistent structure. The first ten numbers serve as the primary foundation. For example, the character for one is 一 (yī), and three is 三 (sān), which are visually intuitive and easy to remember.

Once you have mastered the digits one through ten, forming higher numbers follows a straightforward mathematical pattern. To express numbers between eleven and nineteen, you simply combine the word for ten, 十 (shí), with the single digit that follows it. For instance, eleven is 十一 (shí yī) and nineteen is 十九 (shí jiǔ). When you reach twenty, the logic shifts slightly to show multiplication. Twenty is expressed as 二十 (èr shí), which literally translates to "two tens." This systematic approach makes Chinese numbers much more predictable than English, which uses unique words like "eleven" or "twenty." As you practice, pay close attention to the difference between 四 (sì) for four and 十 (shí) for ten, as their similar sounds are a classic focus for tonal clarity in Chinese. Mastering these twenty terms will provide you with a solid numerical base for your continued language journey.