How to say “ten (10)” in Chinese

shí
ten (10)

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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Word by word

shí
ten

Tone tip

十 (shí, rising second tone) is easy to confuse with 四 (sì, falling fourth tone) and 是 (shì, fourth tone). Listen for the clear rise of shí.

In a sentence

Zhè běn shū shí kuài qián.

This book costs ten yuan.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "ten (10)" in Chinese?+

"ten (10)" in Mandarin Chinese is 十, pronounced shí. 十 (shí, rising second tone) is easy to confuse with 四 (sì, falling fourth tone) and 是 (shì, fourth tone). Listen for the clear rise of shí.

What does 十 mean literally?+

十 breaks down as 十 (shí) = ten. Together it means "ten (10)".

How do I get the tones right in shí?+

十 (shí, rising second tone) is easy to confuse with 四 (sì, falling fourth tone) and 是 (shì, fourth tone). Listen for the clear rise of shí.

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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.