Chinese Numbers 1-100: Learn How to Count in Mandarin Fast

Learning to count in Chinese is one of the most satisfying parts of starting Mandarin. Seriously, once you understand the basic pattern, you can count all the way to 100 (and beyond) in like 20 minutes. Chinese numbers follow a super logical system that makes way more sense than English, where we randomly say "eleven" and "twelve" instead of "ten-one" and "ten-two." If you're ready to learn chinese numbers 1 to 100, this guide will walk you through everything you need, from basic characters to pronunciation and cultural quirks.🫡

Why Chinese numbers 1-100 are easier than you think

Here's the thing about counting in Mandarin: the language uses a combination system that's incredibly straightforward. Once you memorize the first ten numbers, you literally just combine them to make everything else.

In English, we have irregular words like "eleven," "twelve," "twenty," and "thirty" that you just have to memorize separately. Chinese? Nope. Eleven is literally "ten-one" (十一), twelve is "ten-two" (十二), and twenty is "two-ten" (二十). The pattern holds all the way up.

This logical structure means you can start reading prices, phone numbers, and addresses in China way faster than you'd pick up the same skills in most other languages.

Basic chinese numbers 1-10

Let's start with the foundation. These ten characters are everything you need to count to 100 and beyond.

Practice writing these characters following proper stroke order (you can find animated stroke order guides online). Getting the muscle memory down now will help you recognize these numbers instantly later.

Numbers 11-19: The teen pattern

This is where the logic really shines. To make the numbers from 11 to 19, you just say "ten" plus the single digit.

See? You already know how to count to 19 in Chinese. Pretty cool!

Counting by tens: 20, 30, 40... to 90

The tens follow the same combination pattern. You say the single digit first, then "ten."

The pattern holds perfectly. No weird exceptions like "twenty" or "thirty" in English, where you have to memorize completely different words.

Numbers 21-99: Combining everything

Now combine what you know.

Examples:

That's it. You can now count from 1-100 in Chinese. The whole system uses just those ten basic characters you learned at the start.

The number vocabulary of 100 and beyond

One hundred in Chinese is 一百 (yī bǎi). The character 百 (bǎi) means "hundred."

For numbers above 100, you keep using the same logical pattern:

Notice that 零 (líng) means "zero." You use it when there's a zero placeholder, like in 101 or 305 (三百零五).

Thousand is 千 (qiān). So 1,000 is 一千 (yī qiān), 2,000 is 二千 (èr qiān), and so on.

Ten thousand is 万 (wàn). This is where Chinese numbering diverges from English. We group by thousands (thousand, million, billion), but Chinese groups by ten-thousands (万, 亿). So 50,000 is 五万 (wǔ wàn), literally "five ten-thousands."

Understanding this difference helps when you're dealing with large numbers in Chinese contexts, especially in business or news.

Pronunciation tips for learning Mandarin numbers

Getting the tones right matters in Mandarin. The same syllable with different tones means completely different things.

Here are some tricky pairs to watch out for:

When you're learning these, say them out loud. A lot. Chinese pronunciation gets easier with repetition, and numbers come up constantly in daily conversation, so you'll get tons of practice once you start using the language.

Ordinal numbers in Chinese

To make ordinal numbers (First, second, third), you add 第 (dì) before the number:

You'll see this in addresses (第五街 means "5th Street"), rankings, and lesson numbers.

Formal and financial Chinese numerals

China uses a separate set of complex characters for financial documents and legal contracts. These formal numbers are harder to alter or forge.

The everyday number two is 二 (èr), but the formal version is 贰 (èr). Similarly, three (三) becomes 叁 (sān) in formal contexts.

You'll mostly see these on checks, receipts, and official documents. For everyday counting and conversation, stick with the standard numbers you've learned here.

Cultural notes about numbers in China

Numbers carry cultural weight in Chinese society.

Writing numbers: Characters vs. Arabic numerals

In modern Chinese writing, you'll see both Chinese characters and Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3...).

Formal writing, literature, and traditional contexts use characters. Everyday texting, scientific documents, and casual writing often use Arabic numerals because they're faster to type.

When writing addresses, phone numbers, or prices, Chinese people typically use Arabic numerals. But for dates, you might see either: 2026年3月15日 or 二零二六年三月十五日.

Learn to recognize both forms. Reading Chinese characters for numbers helps you understand classical texts, signs, and menus, while Arabic numerals appear everywhere in modern digital communication.

Common mistakes when learning Chinese numbers

Practice strategies for mastering Chinese numbers

Learning vocabulary works best when you use it in context. Here are some practical ways to drill numbers 1-100:

Anyway, if you want to keep building your Chinese vocabulary with real content, Migaku's browser extension lets you look up words instantly while watching Chinese shows or reading articles. Makes learning from context way more practical. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

Learn Chinese with Migaku

Counting in Chinese teaches you how to understand Chengyu as well!

Numbers also appear in idioms and expressions. 一心一意 (yī xīn yī yì) means "wholeheartedly" (One heart one mind). 三心二意 (sān xīn èr yì) means "half-hearted" (Three hearts two minds). These phrases only make sense when you recognize the numbers embedded in them. When you encounter these phrases in Chinese content, knowing the numbers allows you to grasp the core meanings immediately!

学习也要一心一意才好！(Best to commit to study wholeheartedly!)🫶