零
líng/liŋ³⁵/
The English word "zero" is expressed in Chinese as 零 (líng).
Meaning: cardinal number before 1, denoting nothing (num)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 零 | líng | /liŋ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nin²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 空 | khòng | /kʰaŋ⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) |
Hokkien |
| 零 | lêng / lân | /liɪŋ²³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Changtai, Sinological IPA, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) /liɪŋ²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Changtai, Sinological IPA, Taipei, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
零 is the cardinal number before 1, denoting nothing. It can also refer to the digit zero or the numeric symbol for zero. In informal written contexts, such as reading out phone numbers or room numbers, the symbol 〇 is frequently used as a substitute for the character 零.
Which one should you use?
In Hokkien, both 空 and 零 are used to express the concept of zero.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, the word is лин. In Hokkien, you may use 空 or 零.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The Hokkien form 零 is pronounced as /liŋ³⁵/ (lêng / lân).
Did you know?
- The word 空 shares an ancient root with words for 'nostril' in Jingpho and 'cavity' in Burmese.
Examples in context
- 攝氏零度時水會結冰，對吧？Water will freeze at zero Celsius, right?This sentence demonstrates using 零 in the context of a temperature measurement.Tatoeba #1228994 by tsayng, translation #958723 by FeuDRenais2
- 此公式對所有實部大於零的複數 z 均成立。This formula is valid for all complex numbers z with a real part greater than zero.This sentence shows the use of 零 in a mathematical context.Tatoeba #13857121 by LeviHighway, translation #13600298 by frpzzd
- 這次任務充滿了里程碑：這將是韓國女性首次進入太空軌道，也是代表韓國的蒜味辣白菜——「泡菜」，第一次出現在零重力餐桌上。The mission is full of landmarks: it will be the first time a South Korean woman has headed into orbit, and it will also be the first time that "kimchi", that spicy, garlicky cabbage dish that epitomizes South Korea, will be served at the zero-gravity dinner table.This sentence uses 空 to describe a zero-gravity environment.Tatoeba #13540003 by LeviHighway, translation #11074564 by Cangarejo
- 请将回答数量归零。Please reset the answer count to zero.
- 该评估报告仍然显示零错误。The assessment report still displays zero errors.
- 佢嘅數學準確率係〇。His mathematical accuracy is zero.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Zihan are talking about a sports score.
- 伟 Wei比分是多少？Bǐfēn shì duōshǎo?What is the score?
- 梓涵 Zihan目前是兩比零。Mùqián shì liǎng bǐ líng.It is currently two to zero.
- 伟 Wei他們完全沒有得分嗎？Tāmen wánquán méiyǒu défēn ma?They haven't scored at all?
- 梓涵 Zihan是的，對方得分是零。Shì de, duìfāng défēn shì líng.Yes, the other side's score is zero.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “zero” translations and entries 零, 空, 零, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 空, 零, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
