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HSK 1 Numerals (数词): From Basic Digits to Hundreds, Thousands, and Half
This lesson explains the foundational Chinese numerals listed in Level 1 of the supplied HSK grammar outline: the digits zero through nine (零, 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八, 九), the quantity word 两, the multipliers ten, hundred, and thousand (十, 百, 千), and the word for half (半).
我有三本书。
Basic numeral 三 followed by the measure word 本 and the noun 书.
× 我有二个哥哥。
Incorrect: Do not use standalone 二 before a general measure word like 个 to express a quantity of two. Replace 二个哥哥 with 两个哥哥 as shown in the corrected example.
Corrected example: 我有两个哥哥。
Read the full explanation and examples
Core Digits and Forming Tens
In the supplied HSK Level 1 grammar outline, the numeral category (数词) covers the basic digits 一 (one), 二 (two), 三 (three), 四 (four), 五 (five), 六 (six), 七 (seven), 八 (eight), 九 (nine), 零 (zero), the alternative form 两 (two), the unit multipliers 十 (ten), 百 (hundred), and 千 (thousand), plus the fractional numeral 半 (half). Together, these words allow you to count, state prices, tell time, and specify quantities in everyday sentences.
When a numeral modifies a noun in Chinese, it normally cannot attach directly to the noun. Instead, a measure word (classifier) must stand between the numeral and the noun.
我有三本书。
Basic numeral 三 followed by the measure word 本 and the noun 书.
Numbers from 11 to 99 are built transparently by combining the digits 一 through 九 with 十. A digit placed after 十 adds to ten (so 十八 is ten plus eight, eighteen). A digit placed before 十 multiplies ten (so 九十 is nine tens, ninety), and a final digit adds the ones place (九十五 is ninety-five). When a two-digit number begins in the teens (10 to 19) on its own, it starts directly with 十 rather than 一十.
这个班有十八个学生。
Numbers from 11 to 19 place the unit digit after 十 without 一 at the beginning.
这件衣服九十五块。
For a number such as 95, put 九 before 十 for nine tens, then add 五 for the ones digit: 九十五.
Contrasting 二 and 两
Both 二 and 两 mean two, but they are not interchangeable. Choosing the right one depends on whether you are stating an abstract or serial number versus counting a quantity of items with a measure word.
- Use 二 when counting in sequence (一, 二, 三), in decimals and fractions, in phone or room numbers, for ordinal or floor designations (like the second floor), and in the tens or ones place of compound numbers (such as 十二 or 二十).
- Use 两 before common classifiers such as 个 and 本 when counting two items. This is not a rule for every unit: 二元 and 两元 are both possible. Before 百 and 千, both 二 and 两 occur.
我家在二楼。
二 is used for floor numbers and ordinal sequences rather than 两.
我有两个哥哥。
Correct: 两 is required when specifying a quantity of two before a general measure word like 个.
× 我有二个哥哥。
Incorrect: Do not use standalone 二 before a general measure word like 个 to express a quantity of two. Replace 二个哥哥 with 两个哥哥 as shown in the corrected example.
Corrected example: 我有两个哥哥。
Hundreds (百), Thousands (千), and the Placeholder Zero (零)
Larger numbers in this lesson use 百 for hundreds and 千 for thousands. In the full forms taught here, say 一百 for one hundred and 一千 for one thousand. For two hundred or two thousand, both 二百/两百 and 二千/两千 occur; 两千 is very common in everyday speech.
零 means zero on its own (for example, in temperatures or digit-by-digit phone numbers), and it also serves as an essential placeholder inside larger numbers. Whenever one or more internal place values (such as the tens place in 106, or both the hundreds and tens places in 1,006) are empty between non-zero units, you must insert a single 零. You do not add 零 at the very end of a round number like 一百 (100) or 两千 (2,000).
这本字典一百零六块。
Because the tens place is empty between the hundreds place and the ones place, 零 must be inserted.
这个学校有两千个学生。
两 combines naturally with 千 to express two thousand, and no trailing 零 is used for round numbers.
Expressing Half with 半
The numeral 半 means half. Its word order changes depending on whether you are talking about half of a single unit or adding a half to a whole number.
1. Half of one unit: When there is no whole number, 半 acts like a regular numeral and stands directly before the measure word.
我吃了半个苹果。
When expressing half of one item without a whole number, 半 precedes the measure word 个.
2. Whole number plus a half: When combining a whole number (such as one, two, or three) with a half, the whole number and the measure word come first, and 半 is placed immediately after the measure word and before the noun.
他等了一个半小时。
When combined with a whole number, 半 goes after the measure word 个 and before the noun 小时.
Syllabus Scope and Practical Limits
Frequently asked questions
Should I use 二 or 两 before 百 and 千?
Both 二千 and 两千 are possible, with 两千 very common in conversation. Both 二百 and 两百 are also used. Inside a larger number, 一千二百 is a useful standard model for 1,200; do not turn the preference for 两 before ordinary classifiers into a rule that bans 二 before 百 or 千.
Do I ever say 一十 for ten?
When counting from 10 to 19 on their own, you say 十, 十一, 十二 without 一. However, inside a larger number such as 110 or 115, you include 一 before 十 (一百一十, 一百一十五) to keep the place values clear.
Why does 半 move after the measure word in 一个半小时?
一个半小时 counts one whole hour and adds half an hour. In this standard pattern, the whole number comes before the measure word and 半 follows it: 一个半小时. 半个小时 is the separate pattern for half an hour.
