Meaning of 号码
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- number
Measure word: 堆,個|个
How to use 号码
号码 is used for identifying numbers like phone numbers, room numbers, or ID numbers, not for math or counting. It often follows the thing it labels, as in 电话号码 (diànhuà hàomǎ, phone number). Example: 你的手机号码是多少？ (Nǐ de shǒujī hàomǎ shì duōshao?) What is your cell phone number?
号 (hào) means a number or label, and 码 (mǎ) has the stone radical 石, so think of numbers carved into stone. Put them together and you get 号码 (hàomǎ), a number used to identify something.
Common mistake: Learners often use 号码 for numbers in math or quantities, but that is 数字 (shùzì) or 数 (shù). Also, 码 (mǎ) is easy to confuse with 吗 (ma) and 妈 (mā), so remember it uses the stone radical 石, not the mouth or woman radical.
号码 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
号 hào · to call out · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
码 mǎ · agate · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Related words
Words that share a character with 号码.
| 信号 | xìnhào | signal |
| 密码 | mìmǎ | cipher; secret code; password; PIN |
| 符号 | fúhào | symbol; mark; sign |
| 型号 | xínghào | model (particular version of a manufactured article); type (product specification in terms |
| 数码 | shùmǎ | number; numerals |
| 括号 | kuòhào | parentheses; brackets |
| 码头 | mǎtóu | wharf; dock; quay; pier |
| 起码 | qǐmǎ | at the minimum; at the very least |
| 口号 | kǒuhào | slogan; catchphrase |
| 称号 | chēnghào | name; term of address |
| 号召 | hàozhào | to call; to appeal |
| 二维码 | èrwéimǎ | 2D barcode; matrix code; (esp.) QR code |
Questions about 号码
What does 号码 mean?
号码 (hàomǎ) means "number" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 号码?
号码 is made of 2 characters: 号 (5 strokes), 码 (8 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 号码 an HSK word?
Yes. 号码 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 号码 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 号码 is written 號碼.
Do I ask about a phone number with 多少 or 什么?
Chinese speakers usually ask 你的号码是多少？ (Nǐ de hàomǎ shì duōshao?), using 多少 even though it is not a quantity. Asking with 什么 is understood but sounds less natural.
What is the difference between 号码 and 号?
号 (hào) alone often appears in fixed uses like dates (五号, the 5th) or room and seat numbers (三号, No. 3). 号码 is the general noun for an identifying number, especially longer ones like phone or account numbers.