====== shù / shǔ: 数 - Number / To Count ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** Chinese word for number, how to count in Chinese, shù meaning, shǔ meaning, Chinese character 数, pinyin shu, Mandarin number, Chinese math, cultural meaning of numbers in China, learn Chinese numbers. * **Summary:** Discover the versatile Chinese character **数**, a cornerstone of the Mandarin language. This single character holds two primary meanings and pronunciations: **shù**, the noun for "number" or "figure," and **shǔ**, the verb "to count." Learn how to use 数 in everyday conversation, from counting objects and discussing mathematics (**数学 shùxué**) to understanding its deeper cultural significance related to fate and destiny. This guide provides practical examples, cultural insights, and common mistakes to help you master this essential Chinese word. ===== Core Meaning ===== The character **数** is a classic example of a polyphonic character (多音字 duōyīnzì), meaning it has multiple pronunciations tied to different meanings. --- //**1. As a Noun (shù)**// * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shù * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 1 * **Concise Definition:** A digit, figure, quantity, or number; can also refer to fate or destiny. * **In a Nutshell:** When pronounced **shù**, this character represents the concept of a "number" itself. It's the 'what' of quantity—the answer you get after you've finished counting. It's the foundation for everything from simple arithmetic and phone numbers (**号码 hàomǎ**) to complex mathematics (**数学 shùxué**) and even abstract ideas like an "amount" or "quantity" (**数量 shùliàng**). --- //**2. As a Verb (shǔ)**// * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shǔ * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 2 * **Concise Definition:** To count, to enumerate; to be considered as. * **In a Nutshell:** When pronounced **shǔ**, this character is the *action* of counting. It’s the process you perform to determine the **shù** (number). A simple way to remember this is: you **shǔ** the books on a shelf to find out their **shù**. It can also be used figuratively, meaning "to be considered as" or "to rank among the best." ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **数** is a phono-semantic compound character, combining a sound component and a meaning component. * **娄 (lóu):** This part on top originally depicted a woman, but here it primarily provides the phonetic sound. * **攵 (pū):** This radical on the bottom right means "to tap" or "to strike gently." It depicts a hand holding a stick, suggesting action. * **How they combine:** The character visually suggests the action (攵) of tallying or organizing things, which leads to the concept of a "number." Think of an ancient scholar tapping items with a stick one by one to count them. This single image beautifully captures both the action of counting (**shǔ**) and the resulting concept of a number (**shù**). ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, **数 (shù)** goes far beyond simple mathematics. Numbers are often imbued with deep symbolic meaning and are closely linked to concepts of fate, fortune, and harmony. * **Numerology and Fortune:** Unlike the purely secular view of numbers in most Western contexts, certain numbers in China are considered lucky or unlucky based on how their pronunciation sounds. * **Lucky:** The number 8 (**八 bā**) is extremely auspicious because it sounds like **发 (fā)**, as in **发财 (fācái)**, meaning "to get rich." * **Unlucky:** The number 4 (**四 sì**) is avoided because it sounds like **死 (sǐ)**, meaning "death." This is why many buildings in China skip the 4th floor. * **数 as Destiny:** The term **气数 (qìshù)**, literally "qi-number," refers to fate or destiny. It carries the idea that a person's, or even a dynasty's, fortune is pre-ordained or "numbered." This is comparable to the Western phrase "one's number is up," but **qìshù** is broader, covering the entire rise and fall of one's luck, not just death. This philosophical layer gives **shù** a depth that the English word "number" lacks. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== --- //**Using 数 (shù) - The Noun**// As a noun, **shù** is a building block for many common words related to quantity and mathematics. * **In Education and Business:** You'll constantly encounter **数学 (shùxué)** (mathematics), **数据 (shùjù)** (data), and **数量 (shùliàng)** (quantity). * **In Daily Life:** People talk about **数字 (shùzì)** (digits, numbers) when referring to passwords, statistics, or figures. * **Describing Quantity:** It's used to form words like **无数 (wúshù)** (countless) and **少数 (shǎoshù)** (minority/a small number). --- //**Using 数 (shǔ) - The Verb**// As a verb, **shǔ** is used for the physical act of counting and for figurative ranking. * **Simple Counting:** A parent might ask a child, "你会**数**到十吗?" (Nǐ huì **shǔ** dào shí ma? - Can you count to ten?). * **Figurative Ranking:** The popular idiom **数一数二 (shǔ yī shǔ èr)**, literally "to count one or two," means "among the best" or "second to none." * **Informal Usage:** You might say "**数**你最快" (**Shǔ** nǐ zuì kuài), which means "You're the fastest (among us)," literally "counting you as the fastest." ===== Example Sentences ===== //(Examples for **shù** - number)// * **Example 1:** * 我最不喜欢的科目是**数**学。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zuì bù xǐhuān de kēmù shì **shù**xué. * English: My least favorite subject is mathematics. * Analysis: Here, **数 (shù)** is part of the compound word **数学 (shùxué)**, showing its direct connection to the academic field of numbers. * **Example 2:** * 请输入您的六位**数**字密码。 * Pinyin: Qǐng shūrù nín de liù wèi **shù**zì mìmǎ. * English: Please enter your six-digit password. * Analysis: **数字 (shùzì)** refers to the individual digits or figures that make up a number. This is a very common phrase in the digital age. * **Example 3:** * 今年我们公司的利润**数**额很大。 * Pinyin: Jīnnián wǒmen gōngsī de lìrùn **shù**'é hěn dà. * English: Our company's profit amount is very large this year. * Analysis: **数额 (shù'é)** is a more formal term for "amount" or "sum," often used in finance or business contexts. * **Example 4:** * 天上有**无**数颗星星。 * Pinyin: Tiānshàng yǒu **wúshù** kē xīngxīng. * English: There are countless stars in the sky. * Analysis: **无数 (wúshù)** combines 无 (wú - without) and 数 (shù - number) to mean "countless" or "innumerable," a highly descriptive and common adjective. * **Example 5:** * 只有**少**数人知道这个秘密。 * Pinyin: Zhǐyǒu **shǎoshù** rén zhīdào zhège mìmì. * English: Only a few people (a minority) know this secret. * Analysis: **少数 (shǎoshù)** combines 少 (shǎo - few) and 数 (shù - number) to mean "a small number of" or "minority." --- //(Examples for **shǔ** - to count)// * **Example 6:** * 你能帮我**数**一下这里有多少本书吗? * Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ **shǔ** yīxià zhèlǐ yǒu duōshǎo běn shū ma? * English: Can you help me count how many books are here? * Analysis: This is the most direct use of **shǔ** as the verb "to count." The "一下 (yīxià)" softens the request, making it more polite. * **Example 7:** * 别说话,我正在**数**钱。 * Pinyin: Bié shuōhuà, wǒ zhèngzài **shǔ** qián. * English: Don't talk, I'm counting money right now. * Analysis: A straightforward example of using **shǔ** for the action of counting a physical object. * **Example 8:** * 他的中文水平在我们班是**数一数二**的。 * Pinyin: Tā de Zhōngwén shuǐpíng zài wǒmen bān shì **shǔ yī shǔ èr** de. * English: His Chinese level is one of the best in our class. * Analysis: This showcases the popular idiom **数一数二 (shǔ yī shǔ èr)**, which means "ranking at the top." It's a great phrase to use to praise someone or something. * **Example 9:** * 全家就**数**他最懒。 * Pinyin: Quánjiā jiù **shǔ** tā zuì lǎn. * English: In the whole family, he is considered the laziest. * Analysis: This demonstrates the figurative use of **shǔ** to mean "to be considered as" or "to be singled out as." It implies you've mentally "counted" or evaluated everyone and he comes out on top for that trait. * **Example 10:** * 你**数**到三,我们就开始跑。 * Pinyin: Nǐ **shǔ** dào sān, wǒmen jiù kāishǐ pǎo. * English: You count to three, and then we'll start running. * Analysis: A classic and practical example of **shǔ** used as a command for counting in sequence. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Pronunciation is Key:** The most common mistake for learners is mixing up the pronunciations. Remember: the **concept** is **shù** (4th tone, noun), the **action** is **shǔ** (3rd tone, verb). * **Incorrect:** 我要 **shù** 一下苹果。(I want to //number// the apples.) * **Correct:** 我要 **shǔ** 一下苹果。(I want to //count// the apples.) * **Incorrect:** 这里的 **shǔ** 是五。(The //to count// here is five.) * **Correct:** 这里的 **shù** 是五。(The //number// here is five.) * **数字 (shùzì) vs. 号码 (hàomǎ):** These both relate to numbers but are not interchangeable. * **数字 (shùzì)** refers to a digit or a numerical value (e.g., "The number 7 is a lucky digit."). * **号码 (hàomǎ)** refers to a number used for identification (e.g., a phone number, a room number, a ticket number). You don't ask "What is your phone digit?" in English, and you don't ask for someone's 电话**数字** in Chinese. The correct term is 电话**号码**. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[数字]] (shùzì) - A digit or figure; the symbols we use to represent numbers (0, 1, 2, 3...). * [[数学]] (shùxué) - Mathematics; the academic study of numbers, quantity, and space. * [[数量]] (shùliàng) - Quantity or amount; how much of something there is. * [[计算]] (jìsuàn) - To calculate or compute; a more complex action than just counting. * [[号码]] (hàomǎ) - An identification number (like a phone or ticket number). * [[无数]] (wúshù) - Countless, innumerable; an adjective meaning "without number." * [[少数]] (shǎoshù) - Minority, a small number of. * [[个]] (gè) - The most common measure word, essential for connecting a number to a noun when counting objects (e.g., 三**个**人 sān gè rén - three people). * [[命运]] (mìngyùn) - Fate or destiny; a concept culturally linked to the philosophical meaning of **数 (shù)**.