Drizzling rain falling in tiny scattered droplets.
Zero, nil, nothing; also fragmentary or scattered leftover amounts. Rain (雨) above order (令) — raindrops dispersed into separate small fragments.
零
Common Usage & Traps
- 零 — zero
- 零下 — below zero (temperature)
- 二零二六 — 2026 (year)
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我有零个苹果我没有苹果Chinese doesn't use 零 as a counting word before nouns. To say zero apples, just say no apples with 没有.
When writing the year 2026, do Chinese people write 二零二六 or 二〇二六?
Both work, but 二零二六 is safer for daily typing; 二〇二六 looks formal.
零 is the normal character for zero in numbers, years, and phone numbers. 〇 is a special circle used mostly in formal dates and official forms. If you type 二零二六 on WeChat, nobody blinks. If you fill an official form with 二〇二六, that's also fine. Just don't stress over it.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Casual text | 二零二六年 | 二〇二六年 (too formal) |
| Official form | 二〇二六年 | 二零二六年 (less standard) |
| Phone number | 零 (pronounced líng) | 〇 (not used here) |
For temperatures below zero, do you say 零下十度 or 负十度?
零下十度 is everyday weather talk; 负十度 belongs in math class.
零下 means below zero and is what people say when it's freezing outside. 负 means negative and shows up in math, science reports, and official data. If you're texting a friend about the cold, say 今天零下十度. If you're solving an equation, say 负十.
| Situation | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Weather chat | 今天零下十度 | 今天负十度 |
| Math class | 负十 | 零下十 |
| News report | 零下十度 | 负十度 (too technical) |
Can you say 我有零个苹果 for 'I have zero apples'?
No. Chinese says 我没有苹果; 零个 before a noun sounds like a robot.
Chinese doesn't use 零 as a counting word in front of things you don't have. To say zero apples, you just say 没有苹果, meaning 'don't have apples'. You might see 零个 in a math table, but not in daily chat. In real life, 没有 is the natural choice.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Zero apples | 我没有苹果 | 我有零个苹果 |
| Zero people | 没有人 | 有零个人 |
| Zero problems | 没问题 | 有零个问题 |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
This playful poem helps you count and practice vocabulary about clothes, students, and pets. Enjoy the rhythm while learning new words.
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买了五只小猫， 七百零五 块钱。
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卖了六只小狗， 四百零九 元钱。
Step through a full day—from morning routines to bedtime—and pick up practical phrases for telling time and talking about your own schedule with a typical Chinese rhyme.
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二零二六年 ，十月三十号。
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
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零 百千万亿，可以医椅衣。
This rhythmic poem helps you practice numbers from one to ten and larger units. Listen to the beat and count along!
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七八九， 十零百 。
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
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二零一九年 ，八月十六日，回国第七日，生病第一天。
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