千

韆

qiān

丿 + 十

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

qiān (numeral) thousand

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 一 represents the meaning and 亻 represents the sound.

About

千 is a phono-semantic compound formed by adding a single horizontal stroke 一 to the person radical 亻 (a variant of 人). Here, 一 represents the meaning and 亻 provides the sound. The character stands for the exact number one thousand in the decimal system, but it commonly extends beyond strict arithmetic to indicate a vast multitude or countless iterations. This broader sense appears in numerous idioms, such as those describing ceaseless changes or the endless span of generations.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 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)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这本书有一千页。

Zhè běn shū yǒu yī qiān yè.

This book has one thousand pages.

他走了千里路。

Tā zǒu le qiān lǐ lù.

He walked a thousand miles.

我们学校有千名学生。

Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu qiān míng xuéshēng.

Our school has a thousand students.

千千万万的人喜欢这部电影。

Qiān qiān wàn wàn de rén xǐhuān zhè bù diànyǐng.

Tens of millions of people like this movie.

这座城市有千年历史。

Zhè zuò chéngshì yǒu qiān nián lìshǐ.

This city has a thousand years of history.

他们检查了千份文件。

Tāmen jiǎnchá le qiān fèn wénjiàn.

They checked a thousand documents.

在千兆网络下，下载速度非常快。

Zài qiān zhào wǎngluò xià, xiàzài sùdù fēicháng kuài.

Under gigabit network, the download speed is very fast.

经过千次实验，科学家终于发现了新元素。

Jīngguò qiān cì shíyàn, kēxuéjiā zhōngyú fāxiàn le xīn yuánsù.

After a thousand experiments, scientists finally discovered a new element.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丿

Component: 十

Example Words