Other meanings of numerals
In Chinese, numerals aren’t only used as numbers. Some of them can be used as parts of phrases or idioms that have different meanings.
ColloquialFixed expressions
The number 一
The number can have the meaning “all”, “everything”. We can use 一 in this meaning in the following phrases:
Examples
生活并不总是一帆风顺
Things don't always go smoothly
shēnghuó bìng bù zǒngshì yì fān fēng shùn
来这国家时我身上一无所有
When I came to this country, I had nothing
lái zhè guójiā shí wǒ shēnshang yì wú suǒ yǒu
The number 三
The number can have the meaning “a lot of”. We can use 三 in this meaning in the following phrases:
Examples
雇用没见过的人应三思而行
You should think twice before hiring someone you've never seen before
gùyòng méi jiànguò de rén yīng sān sī ér xíng
县里曾三令五申，干什么都得按法律办事
The county has issued repeated warnings that any activity must be carried out in accordance with the law
xiàn lǐ céng sān lìng wǔ shēn, gàn shénme dōu děi àn fǎlǜ bàn shì
三 can also indicate that an action was done repeatedly. We can use 三 in this meaning in the following phrases:
Examples
上了年纪他变得丢三落四的
He became forgetful as he got older
shàng le niánjì tā biàn de diū sān là sì de
一开始我假意推三阻四
At first I pretended to refuse
yì kāishǐ wǒ jiǎyì tuī sān zǔ sì
In rare cases, we can use 三 in the meaning “few”. For example, .
Examples
这可以用三言两语概括起来
It can be described in two words
zhè kěyǐ yòng sān yán liǎng yǔ gàikuò qǐlái
The number 五
The number can also mean “a lot of”. We can use 五 in this meaning in the following phrases:
Examples
我们都是来自五湖四海
We are from all over the world
wǒmen dōu shì láizì wǔ hú sì hǎi
欢迎五洲四海宾客光临惠顾
We invite guests from all over the world to visit us
huānyíng wǔ zhōu sì hǎi bīnkè guānglín huìgù
The number 九
The number can also indicate a large quantity of something. We can use 九 in this meaning in the following phrases: (a single hair from nine oxen) (the strength of nine bulls and two tigers)
Examples
这对他来说，不过九牛一毛
It's just a drop in the ocean for him
zhè duì tā lái shuō, búguò jiǔ niú yì máo
费了九牛二虎之力才找到你
It took a lot of effort to find you
fèi le jiǔ niú èr hǔ zhī lì cái zhǎo dào nǐ
The number 十
The number can have the meanings “a lot of” or “everything”. We can use 十 in these meanings in the following phrases: (a student's long years of hard study)
Examples
十年寒窗无人闻，一朝成名天下知
No one had heard of him when he was studying hard in school. However, one day he became famous throughout the world
shí nián hán chuāng wú rén wén, yì zhāo chéngmíng tiānxià zhī
总是不能十全十美嘛！
It can't always be perfect!
zǒngshì bù néng shí quán shí měi ma
The numbers 千 and 万
The numbers and can indicate a large quantity of something. We can use 千 and 万 together in this meaning in the following phrases:
Examples
这个问题千头万绪，三言两语说不清楚
This issue is too complicated to be explained in a few words
zhè ge wèntí qiān tóu wàn xù, sān yán liǎng yǔ shuōbuqīngchu
中荷两国虽远隔万水千山，但两国人民之间的关系很好
Although China and the Netherlands are far apart, relations between the two nations are very good
zhōng hé liǎng guó suī yuǎn gé wàn shuǐ qiān shān, dàn liǎng guó rénmín zhījiān de guānxì hěn hǎo
In this meaning, the numbers 千 and 万 can also be used independently. For example, .
Examples
一个千年一遇的选手
A player who appears once in a blue moon
yí ge qiān nián yí yù de xuǎnshǒu
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Cardinal numerals less than 10,000
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