Chinese word

一

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī

Meaning

  • numberone

Example

今天只有一个人来了。jīn tiān zhí yǒu yí gè rén lái le

Only one person came today.

Illustration for 一 (one)

More examples

我有一本书。wǒ yǒu yì běn shū

I have one book.

Core concept

One clear point on the counting line, marking a lone thing or a single happening.

Common phrases

  • 一个人yí gè rén

    one person

  • 一杯水yì bēi shuǐ

    one cup of water

  • 一点儿yì diǎnr

    a little

Similar words

二èr: A quantity of two, referring to two people, things, units, or events.
三sān: A quantity of three, referring to three people, things, units, or events.
四sì: A quantity of four, referring to four people, things, units, or events.
几jǐ: Used when asking about an unknown small number.

Definition in Chinese

表示单一的数量，也可表示一次的动作或单独的个体，强调只有一个或一次。biǎo shì dān yī de shù liàng yě kě biǎo shì yí cì de dòng zuò huò dān dú de gè tǐ qiáng diào zhí yǒu yí gè huò yí cì

Word origin

The character 一 (yī, "one") uses one horizontal line to represent its basic number, from which its wider uses for a single unit or occurrence develop.

Usage tips

  • Although its dictionary pronunciation is yī, its tone changes in connected speech: it is often yí before a fourth-tone syllable and yì before other tones.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word