廿

niàn

Definitions

niàn twenty

Etymology

Two vertical lines, representing two sets of ten (十).

About

廿 is an ideogram for twenty, composed of two vertical lines that each represent the character 十 (ten), linked by horizontal strokes to indicate their combined value. While modern Chinese normally expresses twenty with 二十, 廿 remains in use for lunar calendar dates and formal documents. The structure merges two tens into a single, non-phonetic character.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Xin dynasty (9-23 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

今天五月廿号。

Jīntiān wǔ yuè niàn hào.

Today is the 20th of May.

这个活动将持续廿天。

Zhège huódòng jiāng chíxù niàn tiān.

This event will last for twenty days.

他生于廿世纪末。

Tā shēng yú niàn shì jì mò.

He was born at the end of the twentieth century.

我们公司有廿多名员工。

Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu niàn duō míng yuángōng.

Our company has over twenty employees.

这本书共有廿一个章节。

Zhè běn shū gòng yǒu niàn yī gè zhāngjié.

This book has a total of twenty-one chapters.

农历正月廿是补天节。

Nónglì zhēngyuè niàn shì Bǔtiān Jié.

The 20th day of the first lunar month is the Sky Repairing Festival.

这项工程预计廿四个月完成。

Zhè xiàng gōngchéng yùjì niàn sì gè yuè wánchéng.

This project is expected to be completed in twenty-four months.

廿一世纪的科技发展日新月异。

Niàn yī shìjì de kējì fāzhǎn rìxīn yuèyì.

Technological development in the 21st century is advancing rapidly.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 廿