Chinese word

十二

Pronunciation

Pinyinshí èr

Meaning

  • numbertwelve

Example

今天是十二号。jīn tiān shì shí èr hào

Today is the 12th.

Illustration for 十二 (twelve)

More examples

现在是十二点了。xiàn zài shì shí èr diǎn le

It is twelve o'clock now.

Core concept

A count that reaches ten and then adds two, serving as a quantity or a marked point on a calendar or clock.

Common phrases

  • 十二点shí èr diǎn

    twelve o'clock

  • 十二月shí èr yuè

    December

  • 十二岁shí èr suì

    twelve years old

  • 十二个人shí èr gè rén

    twelve people

Definition in Chinese

表示十再加二的整数，等于十进制中的12，常用于表示数量、日期和时间。biǎo shì shí zài jiā èr de zhěng shù děng yú shí jìn zhì zhōng de 12 cháng yòng yú biǎo shì shù liàng rì qī hé shí jiān

Word origin

The numeral 十二 (shíèr, "twelve") is formed directly from 十 (shí, "ten") + 二 (èr, "two"), making its value transparent from its parts.

Usage tips

  • When a clock time is meant, 十二点 (shíèr diǎn, "twelve o'clock") can mean noon or midnight, so a time-of-day word may be needed to remove the ambiguity.

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