Meaning of 数
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to count
- to count as; to regard as
- to enumerate; to list
- number; figure
- several; a few
- (literary) frequently; repeatedly
How to use 数
As a verb, 数 (shǔ) means to count, and it also appears in the pattern 数 + 一 / 第一 to mean "to rank as the most." Example: 我们班数他最高。(Wǒmen bān shǔ tā zuì gāo.) He is the tallest in our class.
Picture a woman (女) sitting next to a pile of rice grains (米), tapping each one with a stick (攵) as she counts them. The rice-and-woman part on the left is what she counts, and the hand-with-stick part on the right is the action of counting.
Common mistake: Learners often say shù when they mean the verb "to count." Remember the rule: the action is third tone shǔ, as in 数钱 (shǔ qián, to count money), while the noun "number" is fourth tone shù, as in 数字 (shùzì).
数 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.
数 shǔ · to count · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 数.
Questions about 数
What does 数 mean?
数 (shǔ) means "to count; to count as; to regard as" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 数?
数 is made of 1 character: 数 (13 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 数 an HSK word?
Yes. 数 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 数 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 数 is written 數.
What does 数一数二 mean?
数一数二 (shǔ yī shǔ èr) means "one of the very best" or "top-ranking." For example, 他的成绩在学校数一数二 means his grades are among the best in the school.
How do you say "a few" or "several" using 数?
Put 数 (shù) before a measure word or number, as in 数十人 (shù shí rén, several dozen people) or 数天 (shù tiān, several days). This sounds more formal or written than 几 (jǐ), which is more common in speech.