A person figure with an extra stroke marking the number one thousand.
Thousand; a great many or countless. 十 (ten) with an extra top stroke (丿) added becomes 千.
千
Common Usage & Traps
- 一千 — one thousand
- 两千 — two thousand
- 三千 — three thousand
- 五千 — five thousand
- 八千 — eight thousand
- 六千多 — over six thousand
- 一千块 — one thousand yuan
- 几千 — several thousand
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千一千In Chinese, 'thousand' as a standalone number must be preceded by '一' (one). Saying just '千' is incomplete and unnatural.
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一千百一千一百English speakers might try to combine 'thousand' and 'hundred' directly, but Chinese requires the specific number before each unit (e.g., 一千一百 for 1100).
What is the difference between 千 and 干?
千 (qiān) means 'thousand', while 干 (gān) means 'dry' or 'to do'.
These two characters look very similar but have completely different meanings and pronunciations. 千 has a small slanted stroke at the top, while 干 has a flat horizontal stroke. 千 is used for numbers, and 干 is used in words like 干净 (gānjìng, clean) or 干什么 (gàn shénme, what are you doing).
| Dimension | 千 | 干 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | thousand | dry; to do |
| Pinyin | qiān | gān / gàn |
| Example | 一千 (yī qiān, one thousand) | 干净 (gānjìng, clean) |
Can I use 千 alone to mean 'thousand'?
No, 千 must be preceded by a number (like 一, 两, 三) when used as a standalone quantity.
In Chinese, 千 is a bound numeral unit. It cannot stand alone as a word. You must say 一千 (one thousand), 两千 (two thousand), etc. However, in larger numbers like 一千五百 (1500), the 千 is part of the compound and does not need an extra number before it if the preceding number is already there.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone | 一千 (yī qiān) | 千 (qiān) |
| With larger number | 一千五百 (yī qiān wǔ bǎi) | 千五百 (qiān wǔ bǎi) |
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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大学里面的学生，每天学四个学时，四年要学 两千八百 个学时。
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他们过五级要 两千 个学时。
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有 两千 个小时这么多时间学习吗？
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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千万亿 ，两点半。
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七十五，八百三， 九千四 ，六万一。
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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八千六百多 ！
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A： 八千六 ？
This short story follows a simple shopping trip in Beijing. You will learn words for buying a phone in Chinese.
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这个手机 六千多 块钱。
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。
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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苹果十九很贵， 八千七百多 块钱。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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