About
The character 四, meaning "four", was originally written as four horizontal strokes but was later redesigned to prevent confusion with other numerals in vertical text. Its current form features an outer enclosure 囗 around an inner element 八. While 八 often means "eight" or "to divide", here it functions phonetically rather than semantically. This structural shift moved the character entirely from its tally-mark origins to a more distinct configuration, allowing it to remain primarily a numeral without developing extended metaphorical meanings.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有四个朋友。
今天是四月五日。
他今年四岁了。
我家有四口人。
这本书有四百页。
房间的四周很干净。
四个人坐在桌子的四边。
在第四季度，公司利润增加了四成。