Origins and meanings of Chinese numerals “一二三”

Chinese numbers:

中文数字

一 (yī): 1

二 (èr): 2

三 (sān): 3

四 (sì): 4

五 (wǔ): 5

六 (liù): 6

七 (qī): 7

八 (bā): 8

九 (jiǔ): 9

十 (shí): 10

百 (bǎi): 100

千 (qiān): 1,000

万 (wàn): 10,000

亿 (yì): 100,000,000

Before we start, let's imagine in the very, very early days, people didn't write a certain language. They only spoke. At first, they only created a way to say the number one: 一 (yī). They probably thought as long as they knew how to say the number one, they could count all the countable things. Just like the binary computer language, which only has zero and one and can calculate everything just with those two numbers.

在切入主题之前，让我们假设在很久很久之前，人们并不会书写文字，只会通过口头表达自己的想法。起初，他们只发明了“一”字，他们或许认为只要知道如何说数字“一”，就可以数清所有可以计数的东西了。就像二进制的计算机语言，“零”和“一”可以计算所有的东西。

So for a time, one was the largest number in Chinese. It was an infinite number. However, people began to realize that they needed a number bigger than one to make things easier for themselves. So they created a way to say the number two: 二 (èr). But it was also not enough. It was the same story for the invention of the numbers three, four, and all the way to nine.

因此，曾有一段时间，“一”是中国最大的数字，它可以无穷大。但是，后来人们发现他们需要一个比“一”更大的数字，这样计算对他们来说会更简便一些。于是，他们创造了数字“二”。但是“二”还是不够，于是就创造出了“三”、“四”，一直到“九”。

As you have seen from the story above, the Chinese numbers were invented one by one, and not all at once. So it makes sense that the number one, which existed first, would affect how the number two looks. The same goes for the other numbers. 

从以上的故事可知，中国的数字是一个一个创造出来的，而非一气呵成。因此，第一个被创造的字“一”影响了“二”字的写法。其他的数字也如此。

Now let's really start looking into the stories about written numbers in Chinese.

现在，让我们来了解一下汉语中关于数字的故事。

一 (yī): 1, one

The character 一 evolved from Oracle bone script (considered to be the earliest form of recognizable written Chinese) to the standard Song typeface. It has always remained as the horizontal stroke.

宋体字“一”是由甲骨文（中国已知最早的文字形式）演变而来的，一直都是用一横表示。

一 is a special indicative character. The abstract symbol 一 not only signifies the simplest origin, but also the most abundant and chaotic universe in its original form.

“一”字有着特殊的引申含义——不仅仅指简单的起源，也指_宇宙万物的本源。

The original meaning of 一 when it was created was the smallest positive integer.

“一”的本意是指最小的正整数。

As the ancient Chinese said, 道立于一，一生二，二生三，三生万物 (dào lì yú yī, yī shēng èr, èr shēng sān, sān shēng wàn wù), meaning that the entire chaotic universe in its original form was called 一. Then the entire chaotic universe in its original form divided into 二/two parts: 天 (tiān) (heaven) and 地 (dì) (earth). Between 天 and 地, then came 人 (rén) (person) as the 第三部分 (dì sān bù fen) (third part). Then 天地人 split into all the other things in the universe.

中国有句古语“道立于一，一生二，二生三，三生万物（dào lì yú yī, yī shēng èr, èr shēng sān, sān shēng wàn wù），其意思为“一是宇宙万物的本源”，宇宙万物的本源又分成两部分：天和地，在天和地之间又有了人，于是天、地、人衍化而生万物。

Here is the more detailed meaning of this saying:

这句古语的详细意思：

The universe in its original form is not made of gas, solids, or anything else. All you know is that it is a chaotic entity. It is the beginning of everything. No time and no space can be used because there is absolutely nothing. Ancient Chinese called it 太初 (tài chū), literally meaning "ultimate beginning." 太初 is 一. With 二, heaven and earth, they are two opposite sides. 天 is the 阳 (yáng), or positive side; 地 is the 阴 (yīn), or negative side. Two absolute opposite gases formed 天 and 地 from 一. The universe is not chaotic anymore. In the harmonious state, 天地人 created all the other things.

宇宙并非起源于气、固体或其他任何物质。它是一个混沌的整体，是万物的起源，没有时间，没有空间，宇宙中没有任何东西。古人称之为“太初”，太初即一，天与地为二。天与地为对立面。天为阳，地为阴，一衍生出两种完全对立的气，从而形成了天与地。从此，宇宙不再是一片混沌，在这和谐的状态下，天、地、人衍生了宇宙万物。

一, the entire chaotic universe in its original form

“一”是指宇宙万物本源

二, the stroke above stands for 天, the lower stroke stands for 地

“二”上面一横表示“天”，下面一横表示“地”

三, the top and bottom strokes stand for 天地, the middle stoke stands for 人; 人 is the most honorable creature in the whole universe

“三”最上面一横和最下面一横分别代表天和地，中间一横代表人，人是整个宇宙中最尊贵的生物

Let's see how the meaning of 一 extended.

请看“一”字的意思是如何扩展开来的。

Original meaning: number one, the smallest original unit, the smallest positive integer.

本意：数字一，最小的统计数字单位，最小的正整数

一分为二 (yī fēn wéi èr): one divides into two

爸爸妈妈离婚了，我们家也就一分为二了。

bàba māma líhūn le, zhègè jiā yě jiù yī fēn wéi èr le. 

Since dad and mom divorced, our one family divided into two families.

Extended meaning: adj. same.

扩展义：作形容词，同样

一模一样 ( yì mú yí yàng): exactly the same (both 模 and 样 mean look/appearance).

这对双胞胎姐妹长得一模一样！

zhè duì shuāng bāo tāi jiěmèi zhángde yì mú yí yàng! 

These twin sisters look exactly the same!

Extended meaning: adv. absolutely, totally, definitely, completely.

扩展义：作副词，绝对地，一定地，完全地

一定 (yídìng)

我一定会参加你的婚礼。

wǒ yídìng huì cānjiā nǐ de hūnlǐ. 

I will definitely attend your wedding.

Extended meaning: adj. entire, total, whole.

扩展义：作形容词，完全，全部

一心一意 (yì xīn yí yì)

我一心一意地爱着我的男朋友。

wǒ yì xīn yí yì de àizhe wǒde nánpéngyǒu.

I love my boyfriend with all my heart.

二 (èr): 2, two

The character 二 evolved from Oracle bone script to the standard Song typeface.

宋体字“二”是由甲骨文演变而来。

Let's see how the meaning of 二 extended.

请看“二”的意思是如何扩展开来的。

Original meaning: n. heaven and earth derived from the entire chaotic universe at its original status

本意：混沌宇宙本源衍生出来的天与地

Extended meaning: the number two; the sum of one plus one

扩展义：数字，一加一的和

二哥 (èr gē): second oldest brother

我二哥还是大学生。

wǒ èr gē hái shì dà xué shēng. 

My second oldest brother is still a college student.

Extended meaning: adj. second-rate; inferior; unreasonable in thinking.

扩展义：作形容词，二流的，差的，没头脑的

二货 (èr huò): dummy, silly (it is not an insult, more like making a joke)

他是个二货，总是干蠢事。tā shì  gè èr huò, zǒng shì gàn chǔn shì. He is a dummy, always does stupid things.

三 sān: 3, three

The character 三 evolved from Oracle bone script to the standard Song typeface.

宋体字“三”是由甲骨文演变而来。

Let's see how the meaning of 三 extended.

“三”有三种含义。

Original meaning: n. heaven, earth and person which derived into all the other things in the universe.

本意：指衍生宇宙万物的天、地、人

Extended meaning: number three; the sum of one plus two.

扩展义：数字，二加一的和

一日三餐 (yī rì sān cān): three meals per day.

一日三餐要按时吃，对身体好。

yī rì sān cān yào àn shí chī, duì shēn tǐ hǎo. 

Eat three meals per day on time; it is good for your body.

Extended meaning: adj. multiple, many.

扩展义：作形容词，表示多次、多数

三心二意 (sān xīn èr yì): half-minded; be of two minds

开车时三心二意很危险。

kāi chē shí sān xīn èr yì hěn wēi xiǎn. 

It is dangerous to be with two minds when driving.

Extended meaning: adv. agian and again; over and over; repeatedly.

扩展义：作副词，再三、反复

三思而后行 (sān sī ér hòu xíng): don't do anything until you have thought about it carefully again and again.

买房是一个大开支，你要三思而后行。

mǎi fáng shì yí gè dà kāi zhī, nǐ yào sān sī ér hòu xíng. 

Buying an apartment is a big expense. You should think about it carefully again and again before you do it.

As you can see from the invention of 一二三, Chinese ancestors respect 天 heaven, (where most Chinese Gods and mysterious powers live and control everything on the earth), 地 earth (which gives human beings a place to live and grow food to survive), and 人 people (the most intelligent, honorable creature in the whole universe, who are the third most honorable thing in the universe besides heaven and earth).

从“一”、“二”、“三”的起源可知中国古人敬重“天（大部分的神仙或神秘力量都在天上，天掌控者人间的一切）”、“地（人类生存并种植食物的地方）”、“人（宇宙中最聪明、最高贵的生物，仅次于天、地）”。

There are some similarities between ancient western wisdom and Chinese wisdom. A quick example is when English speakers (who honor God) would say, "Oh, my God!" in their daily life. Chinese would likewise say, 啊，天啊！(a, tiān a), or 老天啊 / 苍天啊 / 老天爷啊！/ 啊，我的天啊！(lǎo tiān a / cāng tiān a / lǎo tiān yé a! a, wǒ de tiān a!) to express the same meaning.

古西方智慧和中国智慧存在着某些相似点。举一个简单的例子，西方人（敬重上帝）在日常生活中会说“Oh, my God!”，同样，中国人也会说“啊，天啊！（a, tiān a）”或“老天啊 / 苍天啊 / 老天爷啊！/ 啊，我的天啊！（lǎo tiān a / cāng tiān a / lǎo tiān yé a! / a, wǒ de tiān a!）”。两者表达的意思是一样的。

Translated from: italki.com