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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nUnlike most other characters, the tone of \u4e00 typically changes based on the tone of the word following it. This is somewhat similar to tone sandhi, in which a third tone syllable becomes second tone when it precedes another third tone (so \u4f60 [n\u01d0] is pronounced n\u00ed when it comes before \u597d[h\u01ceo], for instance). The difference is that tone sandhi happens to all third tone words, but these changes are for the word \u4e00 only. So here\u2019s what the rule is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re counting or otherwise saying a string of numbers, \u4e00 has its default pronunciation, y\u012b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u4e8c\u4e09<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (Y\u012b \u00e8r s\u0101n)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When \u4e00 comes before a fourth tone, it is pronounced with a second tone. In this way, it\u2019s similar to \u4e0d (b\u00f9), which does the exact same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u8f86\u8f66<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ed li\u00e0ng ch\u0113)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u526f\u773c\u955c<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ed f\u00f9 y\u01cenj\u00ecng)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One pair of glasses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When \u4e00 comes before a first, second or third tone, it is pronounced with a fourth tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u676f\u8336<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ec b\u0113i ch\u00e1)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One cup of tea<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u74f6\u53ef\u4e50<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ec p\u00edng k\u011bl\u00e8)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One bottle of cola<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u672c\u4e66<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ec b\u011bn sh\u016b)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One book<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s an example of a time when you might see all of these pronunciations in one place. Let’s suppose you just counted to 11,110 and now it\u2019s time to say the next number. That number would be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4e00\u4e07\u4e00\u5343\u4e00\u767e\u4e00\u5341\u4e00<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (y\u00ed w\u00e0n y\u00ec qi\u0101n y\u00ec b\u01cei y\u00ec sh\u00ed y\u012b)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There is some discrepancy on how to write these tones in Pinyin. Some sources (including most automated systems) prefer to write it as y\u012b regardless of its actual pronunciation. This is similar to the normal convention for tones sandhi, where \u4f60\u597d is written as n\u01d0h\u01ceo and it is assumed the reader will know how to pronounce it. Other sources, including this article, prefer to indicate the pronunciation change in the pinyin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One more pronunciation thing! In mainland China, when the number one appears in a series of digits, such as a phone number or postal code, it is typical to pronounce it as y\u0101o. So while the famous tower in Taipei called \u53f0\u5317101 is pronounced \u201cT\u00e1ib\u011bi y\u012b l\u00edng y\u012b\u201d in Taiwan, on the continent it\u2019s more common to say \u201cT\u00e1ib\u011bi y\u0101o l\u00edng y\u0101o.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So much for pronunciation! Let’s look at some ways to use \u4e00, other than telling the number of something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u7b2c\u4e00 (d\u00ecy\u012b)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To use ordinal numbers, we can add \u7b2c in front of the number in question. So while \u4e00\u573a\u6bd4\u8d5b (y\u00ec ch\u01ceng b\u01d0s\u00e0i) is \u201cone competition,\u201d \u7b2c\u4e00\u573a\u6bd4\u8d5b is \u201cthe first competition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u5979\u662f\u8dd1\u8d5b\u7684\u7b2c\u4e00\u540d\uff01<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (T\u0101 sh\u00ec p\u01ceos\u00e0i de d\u00ecy\u012b m\u00edng!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- She came in first in the race!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u6211\u7684\u7b2c\u4e00\u4e2a\u4e2d\u6587\u8001\u5e08\u5f88\u68d2\uff01<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (W\u01d2 de d\u00ecy\u012b g\u00e8 zh\u014dngw\u00e9n l\u01ceosh\u012b h\u011bn bang!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- My first Chinese teacher was great!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You may have noticed that the pinyin here is written as d\u00ecy\u012b. This isn\u2019t a mistake! With \u7b2c\u4e00, the tone breaks its normal rule and is just always pronounced with the first tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Common words with \u4e00<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are tons of words that include the character \u4e00 as a component. Here are some of the most common ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u70b9 (y\u00ecdi\u01cen)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Translated as \u201ca little bit,\u201d \u4e00\u70b9 is an exceedingly common word. It\u2019s common to add \u513f at the end to pronouns it as \u4e00\u70b9\u513f (y\u00ecdi\u01cer), especially in northern China. When describing a noun, it is used similar to its English counterpart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u6211\u4f1a\u8bf4\u4e00\u70b9\u4e2d\u6587\u3002<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (W\u01d2 hu\u00ec shu\u014d y\u00ecdi\u01cen zh\u014dngw\u00e9n.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- I can speak a little Chinese.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u6211\u4eec\u5148\u5403\u4e00\u70b9\u513f\u996d\u518d\u53bb\u770b\u7535\u5f71\u5427\u3002<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (W\u01d2 m\u00e9n xi\u0101n ch\u012b y\u00ecdi\u01cer f\u00e0n z\u00e0i q\u00f9 k\u00e0n di\u00e0ny\u01d0ng ba.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Let\u2019s eat a little food first and then go watch the movie.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u8d77 (y\u00ecq\u01d0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This word translates as \u201ctogether.\u201d As an adverb, it typically comes before the verb in a sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4f60\u8981\u4e0d\u8981\u4e00\u8d77\u5531\u6b4c\uff1f<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (N\u01d0 y\u00e0o b\u00f9 y\u00e0o y\u00ecq\u01d0 ch\u00e0ngg\u0113?)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Do you want to sing together?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It can also be used as part of a prepositional phrase when used with \u5728\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4f60\u4eec\u4e24\u4e2a\u5728\u4e00\u8d77\u5417\uff1f<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (N\u01d0men li\u01ceng ge z\u00e0i y\u00ecq\u01d0 ma?)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Are the two of you together?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u4e0b (y\u00edxi\u00e0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Calling \u4e00\u4e0b a word might be pushing the limits of what we count as a word. In Chinese, \u4e00\u4e0b is frequently used after a verb to indicate that an action is brief. This can be challenging for English speakers, because there is no direct equivalent in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u7b49\u4e00\u4e0b\uff01<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (D\u011bng y\u00edxi\u00e0!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wait a moment!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u8ba9\u6211\u60f3\u4e00\u4e0b\u3002<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (R\u00e0ng w\u01d2 k\u00e0n y\u00edxi\u00e0)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Let me think.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Idioms with \u4e00<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are quite a few four-character idioms (\u6210\u8bed ch\u00e9ngy\u01d4) that include \u4e00 as well. Here are a couple of our favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u751f\u4e00\u4e16 (y\u00ecsh\u0113ngy\u00edsh\u00ec)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Character by character, this idiom literally means \u201cone life one lifetime,\u201d but it\u2019s used to mean \u201call of one\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4f60\u8bf4\u8fc7\u4f1a\u7231\u6211\u4e00\u751f\u4e00\u4e16\uff01<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (N\u01d0 shu\u014dguo hu\u00ec \u00e0i w\u01d2 y\u00ecsh\u0113ngy\u00edsh\u00ec!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You said you\u2019d love me your whole life!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u6478\u4e00\u6837 (y\u00ecm\u00f3y\u00edy\u00e0ng)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Literally, \u201cone pattern one appearance,\u201d we use this idiom to mean that something is \u201cexactly identical\u201d to something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u4f60\u8ddf\u4f60\u5988\u5988\u957f\u5f97\u4e00\u6a21\u4e00\u6837\u3002<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (N\u01d0 g\u0113n n\u01d0 m\u0101ma zh\u01cengde y\u00ecm\u00f3y\u00edy\u00e0ng)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You look exactly the same as your mom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u4e00\u65e0\u6240\u6709 (y\u00ecw\u00fasu\u01d2y\u01d2u)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Picked apart, it\u2019s \u201cone not have everything,\u201d that is, \u201chaving nothing at all.\u201d This idiom is also the name of a song by Cui Jian<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u6211\u548c\u4f60\u7238\u90a3\u65f6\u5019\u771f\u7684\u4e00\u65e0\u6240\u6709\u3002<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- (W\u01d2 h\u00e9 n\u01d0 b\u00e0 n\u00e0sh\u00edhou zh\u0113nde y\u00ecw\u00fasu\u01d2y\u01d2u)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Back in those days, your father and I didn\u2019t have a thing in the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Betcha can\u2019t have just one<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Craving more content? Check out the articles below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n