Chinese numerals
The traditional system of Chinese numerals (Chinese数字/数字, Pinyin Shuzi, numeral, number ') is used in Chinese daily life in addition to the Arabic numerals. In other countries with Chinese characters (especially Japan, very rare in Korea and Vietnam), these characters are the numbers in use.
As written form of outspoken number words ( like advertised number words in German, for example, thirty thousand and twenty-nine ) is not a standalone number system.
The presentation is a mix between addition and place value system on the basis of decimal digits. A number is represented as a sum of terms of the form d × 10n, where the digits 0 through 9 and the tens are each represented by their own characters.
Character List
The Chinese numbers from 0 to 10 listen ( file? )
Commonly used are the following characters:
Notes 1 Details of the numbers of alternatives and, if available, the abbreviations used by the writing reform.
2 The form for use in finance is a more complex form that is used to prevent counterfeiting in payment transactions, because short forms allow for easy changeability. The indicated variants弌,弍and弎are less common and are not accepted in official payments, as they can be forged by simply adding or erasing a stroke.
3 Instead零is often also written 〇, such as in annual data (二 〇 〇 五èrlínglíngwǔ for 2005).
4 The syllable yi is the number 1 is subject to a Tonsandhi, see tones of standard Chinese. As a point it is very often Yao (幺) to avoid confusion.
5 If 2 is not used specifically for the enumeration of noun and as a cardinal number is not used二èr but两liǎng (abbreviation两respectively) and also before 1000, 10,000 and 100 million, and usually before 100 Examples: 2000:两 千, 20,000 :两万, 200,000,000 :两亿.
6 The sign is not very common and equated in some dictionaries also a million. It is also used to mega- unit formation with, eg兆赫Zhaohe = megahertz.
See also: numbers in different languages
Formation of the numbers
In the Chinese number system more composite numbers both multiplicative ( tens, hundreds, thousands, and so on ) as well as additive are formed. The decimal point is.
Examples:
- Multiplicative the tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and hundreds of millions are formed:
- For numbers between 10 and 19, the quantity specified for the tens digit is not necessary:
- The intermediates are formed additively. For example, the number 97 375 is formed as follows:
- It is possible - though rare - to leave out the last excess in value of 9 characters when it is already a sign with a higher value preceded it, for example, the number 350 can be shortened by the bracketed expression:
- For missing points must therefore be a zero inserted ( trailing zeroes are omitted), for example, the number 8734072:
- Absence of two or more sites, so still only one zero is added, such as the number 10,020:
- For 20廿the sign is often written. It is actually Nian, but mostly very regularly Ershi. 廿has卄a rarer orthographic variant.
- For 30 you can also see frequent卅the character. It is actually sà, but mostly spoken regularly sanshi.
- For 40 times the character卌is written. It is actually XI, but mostly spoken regularly Sishi.
- Very rarely the sign皕is written for 200. It is actually bì, but mostly spoken regularly èrbǎi or liǎngbǎi.
Count
In the Chinese language is counted with the use of Zählwörtern. For each set of elements has its own measure word; a general measure word is个gè. So五 个人referred wǔgèrén five people.
By prepending the character第dì ordinals are formed. So called第五 个人dìwǔgèrén a fifth person.
See also: measure word ( Chinese) for an explanation of the Chinese measure words.
Hand signals to express Chinese figures
Numbers can be indicated by gestures with one hand in China. The following figures show the numbers from one to ten:
2 - index finger and middle finger are stretched and form a V (like the victory sign ).
3 - index, middle and ring fingers are stretched.
4 - all fingers are extended, the thumb is closed.
5 - fingers and thumbs are stretched.
6 - the little finger and the thumb are spread, the other fingers closed. (figuratively for Chinese六, Pinyin liù, six ').
7 - the tips of the thumb and fingers touching. Alternatively, only the thumb and first two fingers, the other fingers are closed.
8 - thumb and index finger are spread ( like an " L"), the other fingers are closed (figuratively for Chinese八, Pinyin bā, eight ').
9 - all fingers are closed, except for the index finger, which shows a hook (basic joint open).
10 - the hand is clenched into a fist, facing the viewer.
10 - Alternative intersect with the index and middle finger.
10 - Alternative with outstretched index finger of both hands a cross symbolizing (figuratively for Chinese十, Pinyin shí, Ten ').
Note: The above hand sign for Seven, Eight and Nine are clearly different from those used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The Seven is with thumb and forefinger, the night with the thumb, index finger and middle finger, which showed nine with thumb and three other fingers. In Singapore, for example, the characters shown here for 7 and 5 will be used. In Hong Kong, the clenched fist is also considered a "5".
Number symbolism
Odd numbers are usually as " masculine" (Yang, an exception is the 7), on the other hand just as "feminine " (yin ). In addition, the numbers have in traditional Chinese numerology following meanings: