About
The character 万 is a simplified form of the traditional 萬, which originally depicted a scorpion with claws and a tail. Through phonetic borrowing, 萬 was repurposed to represent the number ten thousand, and its original meaning was lost. The modern 万, composed of a horizontal stroke over a bent stroke, has no structural connection to the scorpion. It now functions as the standard unit for ten thousand and, used metaphorically, conveys concepts of a vast multitude, absolute certainty, or an infinite quantity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这里有一万人。
万年以前有恐龙。
万一他不来怎么办？
我走了万里路。
春天万物复苏。
这个工具是万能的。
万一遇到困难，不要放弃。
他的存款有几十万元。