二十
èrshí
The English word 'twenty' is translated into Chinese as 二十 (èrshí). Wiktionary also lists 廿 (niàn) and 念 (niàn).
Meaning: cardinal number (num)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 二十 | èrshí | |
| 廿 | niàn | |
| 念 | niàn | obsolete |
The word is used as a cardinal number to denote the quantity twenty.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 二十 is composed of the number two (二) and the number ten (十), literally meaning 'two tens'.
Which one should you use?
The character 廿 is a specialized shorthand for twenty, often used in formal contexts like dates or traditional numbering, while 念 is an obsolete form of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
èrshí
Did you know?
- In some dialects, the pronunciation of the shorthand 廿 is irregular and does not follow the standard 'èrshí'. This specific pronunciation was developed during the Song dynasty to avoid sounding like a vulgar word.
Examples in context
- 他有二十个孩子。He has twenty children.This sentence shows how to use 二十 to express a count of people.Tatoeba #4765413 by ryanwoo, translation #4706631 by shekitten
- 三的立方是二十七。Three cubed is twenty-seven.This sentence demonstrates the use of 二十 in a mathematical context.Tatoeba #897470 by egg0073, translation #897469 by CM
- 有二十五座的車嗎？Is there a car that seats twenty-five?This sentence illustrates how to use 二十 when specifying a quantity in a question.Tatoeba #5551575 by xjjAstrus, translation #5573280 by n1ls
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the price of a restaurant dish.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这个菜多少钱？Zhège cài duōshǎo qián?How much is this dish?
- 浩然 Haoran二十块钱。Èrshí kuài qián.It is twenty yuan.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那太贵了。Nà tài guì le.That is too expensive.
- 浩然 Haoran其实不算贵。Qíshí bù suàn guì.Actually, it's not that expensive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twenty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 廿, 念, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
