Written by Bobby

The Chinese use a base-ten number system, similar to Arabic numbers. They have terms for numbers one to ten. For eleven, you would say "ten one". THis rule goes for all numbers from eleven to ninety-nine. However, for twenty-two, you would say "two ten one". There are also terms for 100, 1000, 10000 and 100000. Numerals like 111 are said "one hundred one ten one". Thousands are similar, in which you say the number of thousands, then hundreds, then tens, and finally ones. The only exception for this is zero. You need to say zero, but only once, even if there are two or more zeros in a row. For example, one thousand and one is "one thousand zero one", where zero stands in the hundreds and tens places. For a fraction, you state the denominator and then say the two terms "fen1" and "zhi2". You then state the nominator. A decimal point is expressed as "dian4".

If the notation with a world followed by a number is confusing you, see the tones page.