百

bǎi

一 + 白

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

bǎi (numeral) hundred

bǎi (adjective) numerous; all kinds of

Etymology

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

Semantic: 一 Phonetic: 白

About

百 is a phono-semantic compound representing the specific numerical value of one hundred. It consists of 一 (one) on top and 白 (meaning white) below; 白 serves as the phonetic component, while 一 was added to a pre-existing phonetic base to differentiate this numeral from homophones. Although the literal components 'one' and 'white' do not directly imply a hundred, the character was formed by adding the horizontal stroke to the phonetic element. Beyond its strict numerical definition of exactly one hundred, 百 often appears figuratively to indicate a very large amount, numerousness, or all kinds of things.

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 Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 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 Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我有一百元。

Wǒ yǒu yī bǎi yuán.

I have one hundred yuan.

他买了一百个苹果。

Tā mǎi le yī bǎi gè píngguǒ.

He bought one hundred apples.

百货商店今天开业。

Bǎihuò shāngdiàn jīntiān kāiyè.

The department store opens today.

百姓的生活改善了。

Bǎixìng de shēnghuó gǎishàn le.

The lives of common people have improved.

这次考试满分是一百分。

Zhè cì kǎoshì mǎnfēn shì yī bǎi fēn.

The full score for this exam is one hundred points.

百分之九十的学生通过了测试。

Bǎi fēn zhī jiǔshí de xuéshēng tōngguò le cèshì.

Ninety percent of students passed the test.

百年老店值得信赖。

Bǎi nián lǎo diàn zhídé xìnlài.

A century-old shop is trustworthy.

尽管有百般困难，他们还是完成了任务。

Jǐnguǎn yǒu bǎi bān kùnnan, tāmen háishì wánchéng le rènwù.

Despite all kinds of difficulties, they still completed the mission.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 一

Component: 白

Example Words