Chinese Numbers 1 to 100
Stroke Order & Writing Guide
Numbers are the first characters Chinese learners encounter. Discover official stroke orders, step-by-step vector animations, mathematical structure, and the fascinating anti-fraud formal banker numeral system.
Core Numbers 0 – 10 (一到十)
Click any character card to watch full-screen stroke order animation and practice handwriting.
Written from top (rain radical 雨) to bottom.
Single horizontal stroke from left to right.
Two horizontal lines: top line is shorter, bottom is longer.
Top first, middle shortest, bottom longest line.
Enclosure first, inside strokes, bottom closure last.
Top horizontal, vertical slant, horizontal fold, bottom line.
Top dot first, horizontal line, left dot, right dot.
Slightly slanted horizontal, then vertical-turn-hook.
Left slant first, right slant second. Do not touch at top!
Left-falling slant first, then horizontal-turn-bent-hook.
Horizontal line first, vertical line straight down second.
Multipliers & Large Number Units (百, 千, 万, 亿)
In Chinese, large numbers are grouped by units of 10,000 (万, myriad) rather than thousands (1,000).
How Chinese Numbering Works (1 – 99)
1. Teens (11 – 19)
Formula: 十 (10) + [Digit]
- 11 = 十一 (shí-yī)
- 12 = 十二 (shí\'èr)
- 15 = 十五 (shí-wǔ)
- 19 = 十九 (shí-jiǔ)
2. Tens (20 – 90)
Formula: [Digit] + 十 (10)
- 20 = 二十 (èr-shí)
- 30 = 三十 (sān-shí)
- 50 = 五十 (wǔ-shí)
- 90 = 九十 (jiǔ-shí)
3. Compound (21 – 99)
Formula: [Digit] + 十 + [Digit]
- 21 = 二十一 (èr-shí-yī)
- 35 = 三十五 (sān-shí-wǔ)
- 68 = 六十八 (liù-shí-bā)
- 99 = 九十九 (jiǔ-shí-jiǔ)
Anti-Fraud Banker Numbers (大写数字)
Used for centuries on official checks, legal deeds, and receipts to prevent handwriting tampering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Numbers
How do you write numbers from 11 to 99 in Chinese?
Chinese numbers are purely logical and modular. For 11 to 19, combine 十 (10) + digit: 11 is 十一 (shí-yī), 12 is 十二 (shí'èr). For multiples of ten, combine digit + 十: 20 is 二十 (èr-shí), 30 is 三十 (sān-shí). For combinations: 21 is 二十一 (èr-shí-yī), 99 is 九十九 (jiǔ-shí-jiǔ).
Why are there two different ways to write Chinese numbers (standard vs financial)?
Standard numbers like 一, 二, 三 can be easily forged by adding extra strokes (e.g. adding a stroke turns 一 into 十). Traditional Chinese banking created anti-fraud formal characters (大写数字, like 壹, 贰, 叁) that cannot be altered, used today on checks, invoices, and legal contracts.
What is the stroke order for Chinese number 9 (九)?
Number 9 (九) has only 2 strokes: Stroke 1 is the left-slant (撇), and Stroke 2 is the horizontal-turn-bent-hook (横折弯钩). A common mistake is writing the hook stroke first.
What is the stroke order for number 4 (四)?
Number 4 (四) has 5 strokes following the "inside before closing" rule: 1. Left vertical (竖), 2. Top-right turn (横折), 3. Inner left slant (撇), 4. Inner right turn (竖弯), 5. Bottom closing line (横).
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