Phrase guide

Chinese numeral

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A number represented using a Chinese system involving the characters 一, 二, 三, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The system using such numerals, still employed in Chinese- and Japanese-speaking countries and formerly used in Korean- and Vietnamese-speaking ones.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From their original development and chief use in China.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: китайска цифра (kitajska cifra) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Chinese Mandarin: 中文數字 /中文数字 (Zhōngwén shùzì) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Chinese Mandarin: 中國數字 /中国数字 (Zhōngguó shùzì) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • French: chiffre chinois — traditional Chinese numerals
  • German: chinesische Ziffer — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Hindi: चीनी अंक (cīnī aṅk) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Japanese: 漢数字 (kansūji) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Korean: 한자 숫자 (hanja sutja) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Polish: cyfra chińska — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Russian: кита́йская ци́фра (kitájskaja cífra) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Swedish: kinesisk siffra — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Thai: เลขจีน (lâyk jeen) — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Vietnamese: chữ số Trung Quốc — traditional Chinese numerals
  • Vietnamese: mã — traditional Chinese numerals