How to say “zero (0)” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
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A rising second tone. In phone and room numbers 零 is read digit by digit, and 一 is often read yāo instead of yī so it isn't misheard as 七 (qī). The character is also written as the circle 〇.
In a sentence
Líng xià wǔ dù, tài lěng le.
Minus five degrees, it's too cold.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "zero (0)" in Chinese?+
"zero (0)" in Mandarin Chinese is 零, pronounced líng. A rising second tone. In phone and room numbers 零 is read digit by digit, and 一 is often read yāo instead of yī so it isn't misheard as 七 (qī). The character is also written as the circle 〇.
What does 零 mean literally?+
零 breaks down as 零 (líng) = zero. Together it means "zero (0)".
How do I get the tones right in líng?+
A rising second tone. In phone and room numbers 零 is read digit by digit, and 一 is often read yāo instead of yī so it isn't misheard as 七 (qī). The character is also written as the circle 〇.
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Why some tones change in connected speech.
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