Difference between revisions of "Expressing fractions with "fenzhi""
m (→Structure) |
|||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
− | So a 1/2 is read 二分之一, not 一分之二. To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十. | + | So a 1/2 is read 二分之一 (èr fēnzhī yī), not 一分之二 (yī fēnzhī èr). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēnzhī wǔshí). |
==Examples== | ==Examples== |
Revision as of 02:25, 1 July 2015
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
分之 (fēnzhī) is used to form a fraction in Chinese. When expressing a fraction, the denominator is always said before the numerator. This pattern is also the way percentages are expressed in Chinese.
Structure
denominator + 分之 + numerator
So a 1/2 is read 二分之一 (èr fēnzhī yī), not 一分之二 (yī fēnzhī èr). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēnzhī wǔshí).
Examples
- 我们 班 有 三 分 之 一 的 同学 是 外 国 人。One third of our classmates are foreign students.
- 我们 有 二 分 之 一 的 机会 成功。We have 50 % chance to succeed.
- 这 种 事情 发生 的 可能性 是 万 分 之 一。The likelihood of this kind of thing happening is very little.
- 世界 上 只 有 百 分 之 三 的 人 能 看 懂 这 张 图。Only 3 % of the world's population can understand this map.
See Also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 18) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 152-3) →buy