一
yī/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹/
The English word 'one' is translated as 一 (yī) in Chinese.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | yī | /i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | |
| 一 | chi̍t | /it̚⁵/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Zhangpu, Changtai, Penang, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Longyan, Longyan) /it̚³²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Zhangpu, Changtai, Penang, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Taipei, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese, Longyan) |
Hokkien |
一 is the cardinal number 1. It can also function as a noun meaning a digit or figure. To emphasize 'one' in the sense of 'only', the term 唯一 (wéi yī) is used. When expressing ordinal numbers, the word 第一 (dì yī) is used for 'one'.
Which one should you use?
yi is the Dungan form and chi̍t is the Hokkien form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
yi is used in Dungan, while chi̍t is used in Hokkien.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting a single object, the number 一 is typically followed by a measure word, such as 个 (ge).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is chi̍t. The IPA is /i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹/.
Did you know?
- The number 一 is used in many Chinese idioms to represent the beginning of all things or the ultimate unity of the universe.
- In some contexts, the sound for 'one' in certain dialects is thought to be related to the character 隻 (zhī), which is now used as a classifier for certain birds or animals.
- In traditional Chinese calligraphy, the stroke for 一 is not just a straight line but involves a specific pressure sequence to give it life and strength.
Examples in context
- 请稍等一下。Hold on just one second.This sentence is useful for using 一 to mean 'a second' in the context of time.Tatoeba #423171 by GlossaMatik, translation #2891240 by CK
- 我們要一個。We want one.This sentence shows how to use 一 to indicate a single object.Tatoeba #6057679 by xjjAstrus, translation #2241471 by CK
- 一年有四季。There are four seasons in one year.This sentence demonstrates using 一 to refer to a single year.Tatoeba #6098476 by verdastelo9604, translation #1010134 by allmarangie
- 一张纸 (yī zhāng zhǐ)One piece of paper
- 我有一个弟弟 (wǒ yǒu yí gè dìdì)I have one younger brother
- 一瓶 (yī píng)One bottle
- 我想买一瓶水 (wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī píng shuǐ)I want to buy one bottle of water
- 一本 (yī běn)One
- 我借了一本书 (wǒ jiè le yī běn shū)I borrowed one book
- 一双鞋 (yī shuāng xié)One pair of shoes
- 一条鱼 (yī tiáo yú)One fish
- 一把刀 (yī bǎ dāo)One knife
- 他是我唯一的朋友 (tā shì wǒ wéi yī de péngyǒu)He is my only friend
- 我只想要一件礼物 (wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yào yī jiàn lǐwù)I only want one gift
- 655 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Zihan are ordering drinks at a cafe.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你要喝什么？Nǐ yào hē shénme?What do you want to drink?
- 梓涵 Zihan我要一杯咖啡。Wǒ yào yī bēi kāfēi.I want one cup of coffee.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也要一杯。Wǒ yě yào yī bēi.I want one too.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我们一共两杯。Nà wǒmen yīgòng liǎng bēi.Then we have two cups in total.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries 一, 一, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 一, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
