Difference between revisions of "Ordinal numbers with "di""

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{{AKA|序数 (xùshù)|ordinals|sequence numbers}}
 
{{AKA|序数 (xùshù)|ordinals|sequence numbers}}
{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
We use ordinal numbers to express things like "number one" or "second," so mastering them in Chinese is important. Fortunately, they are also very easy to learn.  
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We use ordinal numbers to express things like "number one" or "second," so mastering them in Chinese is important. Fortunately, they are also very easy to learn by just adding the prefix 第 (dì).
  
== Basic Structure ==
+
== Basic Usage ==
  
 
In English, there are four different suffixes for ordinal numbers: ''-st'', ''-nd'', ''-rd'' and ''-th''. Chinese makes things a lot simpler by using one prefix for all ordinal numbers: 第 (dì). This character is simply placed in front of the number:
 
In English, there are four different suffixes for ordinal numbers: ''-st'', ''-nd'', ''-rd'' and ''-th''. Chinese makes things a lot simpler by using one prefix for all ordinal numbers: 第 (dì). This character is simply placed in front of the number:
 +
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
<div class="liju">
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<table class="table big-text table-striped table-bordered">
 +
<tr>
 +
<th style="width:20%">Chinese</th>
 +
<th style="width:25%">English</th>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 一<span class="pinyin">dì-yī</span></td><td>The first</td></tr>
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<tr><td>第 二<span class="pinyin">dì-èr</span></td><td>The second</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 三<span class="pinyin">dì-sān</span></td><td>The third</td></tr>
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<tr><td>第 四<span class="pinyin">dì-sì</span></td><td>The fourth</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 五<span class="pinyin">dì-wǔ</span></td><td>The fifth</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 六<span class="pinyin">dì-liù</span></td><td>The sixth</td></tr>
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<tr><td>第 七<span class="pinyin">dì-qī</span></td><td>The seventh</td></tr>
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<tr><td>第 八<span class="pinyin">dì-bā</span></td><td>The eighth</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 九<span class="pinyin">dì-jiǔ</span></td><td>The ninth</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>第 十<span class="pinyin">dì-shí</span></td><td>The tenth</td></tr>
 +
</table>
  
* <em>第 一</em><span class="trans">the first</span>
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== Full Pattern with Measure Words ==
* <em>第 二</em><span class="trans">the second</span>
 
* <em>第 三</em><span class="trans">the third</span>
 
* <em>第 四</em><span class="trans">the fourth</span>
 
* <em>第 五</em><span class="trans">the fifth</span>
 
* <em>第 六</em><span class="trans">the sixth</span>
 
* <em>第 七</em><span class="trans">the seventh</span>
 
* <em>第 八</em><span class="trans">the eighth</span>
 
* <em>第 九</em><span class="trans">the ninth</span>
 
* <em>第 十</em><span class="trans">the tenth</span>
 
* 我 是 <em>第四</em>。<span class="trans">I'm the fourth.</span>
 
* 这 次 考试,我 是 我们 班 <em>第 一</em>。<span class="trans">This exam, I was the 1st in my class. (Meaning: I was the best in class)</span>
 
* 我们 班 <em>第 一</em>,他们 班 <em>第 二</em>。<span class="trans">Our class is the 1st, their class is the 2nd. (Meaning: We are the best, they are the second best)</span>
 
  
== Full Structure ==
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You can also add in a [[measure word]] and a [[noun]] to make the structure a bit fuller.
  
You can also add in a [measure word] (MW) and a [noun] to make the structure a bit fuller.
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
第 + Number + MW + Noun)
+
第 + Number + Measure Word + Noun
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
 +
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 是 <em>第 </em> <strong>个</strong> 人 。<span class="trans">I'm the fourth person.</span>
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* 我 是 <em>第 </em> <strong> 个 </strong> 到 公司 的 人。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shì <em>dì-yī</em>  <strong>gè</strong> dào gōngsī de rén.</span><span class="trans">I'm the first person that came to the office.</span>
* 这 是 我 的 <em>第 </em> <strong></strong> 女儿。<span class="trans">This is my second daughter.</span>
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* 他 要 坐 早上 <em>第 一</em> <strong>班</strong> 地铁 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Tā yào zuò zǎoshang <em>dì-yī</em> <strong> bān</strong> dìtiě qù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">He needs to take the first train in the morning to go to work.</span>
* 小李 是 的 <em>第 三</em> <strong>个</strong> 女朋友。<span class="trans">Little Li is his third girlfriend.</span>
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* 小李 是 的 <em>第 三</em> <strong>个</strong> 男朋友。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Lǐ shì tā de <em>dì-sān</em> <strong>gè</strong> nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">Little Li is her third boyfriend.</span>
* 这 是 今天 喝 的 <em>第 </em> <strong></strong> 啤酒。<span class="trans">This is the 8th bottle of beer I drank today.</span>
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* 我 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong>中文 老师 是 美国 人。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de <em>dì-yī</em> <strong></strong> Zhōngwén lǎoshī shì Měiguó rén.</span><span class="trans">My first Chinese teacher was American.</span>
* <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong> 月,我们 去 中国,<em>第二</em> <strong></strong> 月,我们 要 去 泰国。<span class="trans">The first month, we go to China, the second month, we go to Thailand.</span>
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* 爸爸 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong>手机 是 NOKIA。<span class="pinyin">Bàba de <em>dì-yī</em> <strong></strong> shǒujī shì NOKIA.</span><span class="trans">Dad‘s first cell phone was a  Nokia.</span>
* 的<em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong>中文 老师 美国 人。<span class="trans">My first Chinese teacher was American.</span>
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* 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong>工作 什么?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de <em>dì-yī</em> <strong>gè</strong> gōngzuò shì shénme? </span><span class="trans">What was your first job? </span>
* 的<em>第 </em> <strong>个</strong>手机 是 NOKIA。<span class="trans">My first cellphone was NOKIA.</span>
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* 到 美国 的 <em>第 </em><strong>个</strong> 月,我 找到 了 工作。<span class="pinyin">Dào Měiguó de <em>dì-èr</em><strong> gè</strong>  yuè, wǒ  zhǎodào le gōngzuò .</span><span class="trans">I found a job the second month I was in the USA.</span>
* 我 的<em>第 </em> <strong>个</strong>工作 是 服务 员。<span class="trans">My first job was a waiter.</span>
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* <em>第 二</em> <strong>行</strong><em> 第 </em> <strong>个</strong> 汉字 怎么 读?<span class="pinyin"><em>Dì-èr</em> <strong>háng</strong> <em> dì-wǔ </em> <strong></strong> Hànzì zěnme dú? </span><span class="trans">How do you read the fifth character from the second line? </span>
* 你 是 我 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong></strong> 朋友。<span class="trans">You are my first (best) friend.</span>
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* 这 次 考试,我 是 我们 <em>第 一</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhè cì kǎoshì, wǒ shì wǒmen bān <em>dì-yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">On this test, I was first in our class.</span>
* 我们 今天 学<em>第 </em> 课。<span class="trans">Today we study the third chapter.</span>
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* 这 次 比赛,我们 班 <em>第 一</em>,他们 班 <em>第 二</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhè cì bǐsài, wǒmen bān <em>dì-yī</em>, tāmen bān <em>dì-èr</em>.</span><span class="trans">In this contest, our class is the first, their class is the second.</span>
* 这 是 我<em>第 一</em> <strong></strong> 说 中文。<span class="trans">This is the first time I speak Chinese.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that there are some words that don't use measure words because they themselves are already measure words. For example: 天, 年, 周, 次 etc.  
+
Note that there are some words that don't use measure words because they themselves are already measure words. For example: 天 (tiān), 年 (nián), 周 (zhōu), 次 (cì), etc.  
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <em>第一</em> <strong>天</strong>,我们 在 宾馆 里。<span class="trans">On the first day, we will be in the hotel.</span>
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* <em>第 一</em> <strong>天</strong>,我们 在 宾馆 里。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dì-yī</em> <strong>tiān</strong>, wǒmen zài bīnguǎn lǐ.</span><span class="trans">On the first day, we will be in the hotel.</span>
* <em>第二</em> <strong></strong>,我们 去 长城。<span class="trans">On the second day, we went to the Great Wall.</span>
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* 来 上海 以后 的 <em>第 二</em> <strong></strong>,他 开 这 家 公司。<span class="pinyin">Lái Shànghǎi yǐhòu de <em>dì-èr</em> <strong>nián</strong>,  tā kāi le zhè jiā gōngsī.</span><span class="trans">He started this company his second year after coming to Shanghai.</span>
* 这是 我 <em>第一</em> <strong>次</strong> 去 北京。<span class="trans">This is my first time going to Beijing.</span>
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* 下 个 月 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>周</strong> 老板 要 出差。<span class="pinyin">Xià gè yuè de <em>dì-yī</em><strong> zhōu </strong>, lǎobǎn yào chūchāi.</span><span class="trans">The boss needs to go on a business trip the first week of next month.</span>
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* 这 是 我 <em>第 一</em> <strong>次</strong> 去 北京。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì wǒ <em>dì-yī</em> <strong>cì</strong> qù Běijīng.</span><span class="trans">This is my first time going to Beijing.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Exceptions ==
 
== Exceptions ==
  
Note that some nouns can form ordinals without 第. These include:
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Note that some nouns can form ordinals without 第 (dì). With these, the number can be used directly. For example, 七楼 (qī lóu) is "the seven''th'' floor," even though there is no 第 ().
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
* 楼<span class="trans">house/ building</span>
 
* 层<span class="trans">floor (of a building)</span>
 
* 姐<span class="trans">older sister</span>
 
* 弟<span class="trans">younger brother</span>
 
* 妹<span class="trans">younger sister</span>
 
* 哥<span class="trans">older brother</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
  
With these, the number can be used directly. For example, 七楼 is "the seven''th'' floor",or 二姐 "the second oldest sister".
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<table class="table big-text table-striped table-bordered">
 +
<tr>
 +
<th style="width:15%">Chinese</th>
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<th style="width:50%">English</th>
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<th style="width:20%">Example</th>
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</tr>
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<tr><td>楼<span class="pinyin">lóu</span></td><td>floor (of a building)</td><td>七楼<span class="pinyin">qī lóu</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td>层<span class="pinyin">céng</span></td><td>floor (of a building)</td><td>一层<span class="pinyin">yī céng</span></td></tr>
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</table>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 58-73) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 2|69}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 17-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|58-73}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 183) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|17-8}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|183}}
  
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
[[Category:Number words]]
 
[[Category:Number words]]
{{Basic Grammar|第|A2|第 + Number (+ MW)|你 是 我 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong> 朋友。|grammar point|ASGK904U}}
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[[Category:Table]]
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{{Basic Grammar|第|A2|第 + Number (+ Measure Word)|你 是 我 的 <em>第 一</em> <strong>个</strong> 朋友。|grammar point|ASGK904U}}
 
{{Similar|Measure words for counting}}
 
{{Similar|Measure words for counting}}
 
{{Structure|Numbers and Measure Words}}
 
{{Structure|Numbers and Measure Words}}

Latest revision as of 08:53, 21 April 2021

Also known as: 序数 (xùshù), ordinals and sequence numbers.
Chinese-grammar-wiki-di.jpg

We use ordinal numbers to express things like "number one" or "second," so mastering them in Chinese is important. Fortunately, they are also very easy to learn by just adding the prefix 第 (dì).

Basic Usage

In English, there are four different suffixes for ordinal numbers: -st, -nd, -rd and -th. Chinese makes things a lot simpler by using one prefix for all ordinal numbers: 第 (dì). This character is simply placed in front of the number:

Structure

第 + Number

Examples

Chinese English
第 一dì-yīThe first
第 二dì-èrThe second
第 三dì-sānThe third
第 四dì-sìThe fourth
第 五dì-wǔThe fifth
第 六dì-liùThe sixth
第 七dì-qīThe seventh
第 八dì-bāThe eighth
第 九dì-jiǔThe ninth
第 十dì-shíThe tenth

Full Pattern with Measure Words

You can also add in a measure word and a noun to make the structure a bit fuller.

Structure

第 + Number + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

  • 我 是 第 一 到 公司 的 人。Wǒ shì dì-yī dào gōngsī de rén.I'm the first person that came to the office.
  • 他 要 坐 早上 第 一 地铁 去 上班。Tā yào zuò zǎoshang dì-yī bān dìtiě qù shàngbān.He needs to take the first train in the morning to go to work.
  • 小李 是 她 的 第 三 男朋友。Xiǎo Lǐ shì tā de dì-sān nánpéngyou.Little Li is her third boyfriend.
  • 我 的 第 一 中文 老师 是 美国 人。Wǒ de dì-yī Zhōngwén lǎoshī shì Měiguó rén.My first Chinese teacher was American.
  • 爸爸 的 第 一 手机 是 NOKIA。Bàba de dì-yī shǒujī shì NOKIA.Dad‘s first cell phone was a Nokia.
  • 你 的 第 一 工作 是 什么?Nǐ de dì-yī gōngzuò shì shénme? What was your first job?
  • 到 美国 的 第 二 月,我 找到 了 工作。Dào Měiguó de dì-èr yuè, wǒ zhǎodào le gōngzuò .I found a job the second month I was in the USA.
  • 第 二 第 五 汉字 怎么 读?Dì-èr háng dì-wǔ Hànzì zěnme dú? How do you read the fifth character from the second line?
  • 这 次 考试,我 是 我们 班 第 一Zhè cì kǎoshì, wǒ shì wǒmen bān dì-yī.On this test, I was first in our class.
  • 这 次 比赛,我们 班 第 一,他们 班 第 二Zhè cì bǐsài, wǒmen bān dì-yī, tāmen bān dì-èr.In this contest, our class is the first, their class is the second.

Note that there are some words that don't use measure words because they themselves are already measure words. For example: 天 (tiān), 年 (nián), 周 (zhōu), 次 (cì), etc.

  • 第 一 ,我们 在 宾馆 里。Dì-yī tiān, wǒmen zài bīnguǎn lǐ.On the first day, we will be in the hotel.
  • 来 上海 以后 的 第 二 ,他 开 了 这 家 公司。Lái Shànghǎi yǐhòu de dì-èr nián, tā kāi le zhè jiā gōngsī.He started this company his second year after coming to Shanghai.
  • 下 个 月 的 第 一 老板 要 出差。Xià gè yuè de dì-yī zhōu , lǎobǎn yào chūchāi.The boss needs to go on a business trip the first week of next month.
  • 这 是 我 第 一 去 北京。Zhè shì wǒ dì-yī qù Běijīng.This is my first time going to Beijing.

Exceptions

Note that some nouns can form ordinals without 第 (dì). With these, the number can be used directly. For example, 七楼 (qī lóu) is "the seventh floor," even though there is no 第 (dì).

Chinese English Example
lóufloor (of a building)七楼qī lóu
céngfloor (of a building)一层yī céng

See also

Sources and further reading