1 = yi (pronounced “yee”)
2 = er (“are”) or liang (“leung”) — see note below
3 = san (“san”)
4 = si (“suh”)
5 = wu (“ooo”)
6 = liu (“lieu”)
7 = qi (“chee”)
8 = ba (“baa”)
9 = jiu (“joe”)
10 = shi (“shuh”)
100 = bai (“bye”)
1000 = qian (“chen”)
dollar = kwai (“quai”)
To create a double digit number (i.e., 35), it’s first digit + 10 + 2nd digit
For example, 35 = san-shi-wu
To create a triple-digit number it’s first digit + 100 + 2nd digit + 10 + 3rd digit
For example, 689 = liu-bai-ba-shi-jiu
To express amounts in dollars, simply add “kwai” to the end of the number.
For example 689 dollars = liu-bai-ba-shi-jiu kwai
NOTABLE EXCEPTION: if you are using the number “2” to describe quantities (i.e., these two shirts, these two cars), use the word “liang” instead of “er.” If you are expressing a numerical amount, use “er” the numeral two when you’re talking about single or double digits (i.e., two=er, twenty two = er-shi-er). BUT if you’re talking about amounts more than a hundred, use “liang” for the numeral two. For example, 222 = liang-bai-er-shi-er. Or 2222 = liang-qian-liang-bai-er-shi-er
