第一
dì yī/ti⁵¹ i⁵⁵/
The English phrase "number one" is translated into Chinese as 第一 (dì yī).
第一 is used to indicate the position of being first in a sequence or a list.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of the prefix 第, which is used to turn a cardinal number into an ordinal number and the number 一.
Which one should you use?
While 一 refers to the cardinal number "one", 第一 is used specifically for the ordinal "first".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to refer to the person or entity that holds the "number one" position in a competition, you often add the classifier 名 after 第一, resulting in 第一名.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dì yī and the IPA is /ti⁵¹ i⁵⁵/.
Did you know?
- While 第一 means 'first', the phrase 第一名 is used for the winner, but 第一把手 refers to the person with the most power in an organization, like a CEO or top official.
- In many Chinese contexts, referring to someone as 第一 can imply they are the 'best' or 'top' in a way that transcends mere ranking, often used to express supreme quality.
- In highly formal or poetic Chinese, the idea of being 'number one' or 'the first' can be expressed using more complex characters that imply 'primacy' or 'originality' rather than just a list position.
Examples in context
- 他在比赛中赢得了第一名。He won the first place in the competition.
- 他是第一名。Tā shì dì yī míng.He is in first place.
- 我们要争取第一。Wǒmen yào zhēngqǔ dì yī.We want to strive for first place.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing their exam results.
- 梓涵 Zihan伟，你知道谁考了第一吗？Wěi, nǐ zhīdào shéi kǎo le dì yī ma?Wei, do you know who got number one?
- 伟 Wei好像是梓涵考了第一。Hǎoxiàng shì Zǐhán kǎo le dì yī.It seems Zihan took first place.
- 梓涵 Zihan她真的很厉害！Tā zhēnde hěn lìhai!She is really amazing!
- 伟 Wei没错，她学习非常刻苦。Méicuò, tā xuéxí fēicháng kèkǔ.That's true, she studies very hard.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 第一, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
