Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

nuMberS

6.6

6.6.3 decimals

Decimals are recited as a series of single digits and zeros after a decimal point. The decimal

point is read as 点/點 diǎn:

1.1 一点一/一點一 yī diǎn yī

2.5 (二 or) 两点五/(二 or) 兩點五 (èr or) liǎng diǎn wǔ

14.56 十四点五六/十四點五六 shísì diǎn wǔ liù

30.808 三十点八零八/三十點八零八 sānshí diǎn bā líng bā

8.06 八点○六/八點○六 bā diǎn líng liù

If there is no number before the decimal point, the fraction may optionally be recited as

○点/點 (XXX) líng diǎn (XXX):

.35 ○点三五/○點三五 líng diǎn sān wǔ

.27 ○点二七/○點二七 líng diǎn èr qī

note Chinese often omits the final zero after a decimal point. For example, $8.60 may also be written as $8.6.

6.6.4 Indicating ‘half’

The word 半 bàn means ‘half.’

To indicate half of something, place 半 bàn before the classifier associated with the thing.

半碗饭/半碗飯

bàn wǎn fàn

half a bowl of rice

半本书/半本書

bàn běn shū

half a book

半杯水

bàn bēi shuǐ

half a glass of water

C 8

To indicate one or more things and a half, place 半 bàn immediately after the classifier associ-

ated with the thing:

number + classifier + 半 bàn

三碗半(饭)/三碗半(飯)

sān wǎn bàn (fàn)

three and a half bowls (of rice)

三本半(书)/三本半(書)

sān běn bàn (shū)

three and a half volumes (of books)

三杯半(水)

sān bēi bàn (shuǐ)

three and a half cups (of water)

To indicate ‘half’ in time expressions, see Chapter 49.

C49.1.1, 49.1.3.2, 49.1.4