Learn Chinese Numbers Gestures to Make Your Bargain and Finger-Counting More Efficient

Chinese Gestures to Signify Numbers

中国人比划数字用的手势 [Shǒu Shì]

As in other countries around the world, the Chinese people have invented their own independent finger-counting system and hand gestures, which are called "Chinese Numbers Gestures" or "Chinese Hand Signs with Numbers", and in Chinese as 中国的数字手势 (zhōng guó de shù zì shǒu shì).

正如世界上其他国家一样，中国人也发明了自己独立的用手指数数的系统和数字手势，被称为“中国的数字手势”。

To show numbers from 1 to 10 with Chinese Numbers Gestures is quite simple. In China, you can use just one hand with five fingers enough to count the natural numbers from 1 to 10. Please see as follows.

用中国手势表示数字 1 到 10 是十分简单的。在中国，你仅用一只手五根手指就能从自然数的 1 数到10。

As we all know, China is well-known for its huge population and vast territory. The local Chinese gestures may also vary among different regions of China. Here we are going to introduce the most commonly used Chinese numbers gestures that could be understood by the majority in most areas of China. Then you can use these Chinese numbers gestures freely to express numbers when you are traveling to or living in China if necessary.

众所周知，中国人口众多，领土辽阔。在不同的地区，当地人使用的数字手势可能也会有所差异。这里我们将介绍的是在中国广泛使用的、能被大多数中国人理解的中国式数字手势。这样，当你去中国旅游或生活时，就能自由运用这些手势来表达数字了。

Chinese Gestures Count 1 to 10 With One Hand

仅用单手从 1 数到 10 [Cóng yī shǔ dào shí]

In China, people always use their right hand to count natural numbers from one to ten. Each Chinese number gesture is quite simple to signal a number and you don't even need to be very nimble with your fingers. Its simplicity and easy operations enable everyone to make out the Chinese numbers gestures quickly with their fingers and to convey the meanings of figures accurately to others.

在中国，人们往往用右手来比划自然数的 1 到 10。比划每一个数字的手势都十分简单，甚至不要求你的手指十分灵活。这种简单易操作的特性使得每个人都可以很快速地做出手势，并准确地向其他人传达背后代表的数字含义。

Chinese numbers gestures also help release your other hand so that you can use one hand to signify numbers while the other hand could do other things at the same time. For example, when you travel to China, fancy a silk scarf at a Chinese roadside shop. You feel difficult to bargain for a lower price because you cannot speak their language. In this case, it will become more convenient for you to use one hand to express the ideal price and bargain with the local seller.

中国的数字手势还释放了你的另一只手，这样你可以一边用单手比划数字，同时另一只手还能做其他事情。比如，当你去中国旅行时，在路边小店看中了一条丝巾。但由于语言不通，你很难口头表达出对价格的不满意。这种情况下，用一只手就能比划着数字与商家还价就显得方便多了。

Learn Chinese Gesture For the Number One

中国手势表示数字“一”
[Biǎo shì shù zì yī]

Let's start with the Chinese number gesture for the digit one. It must be one of the few universal hand gestures that could be recognized and understood by people of almost all countries around the world.

让我们从数字 1 的手势开始。这个手势大概是为数不多的、能被几乎各国人民快速识别和理解的通用的数字手势之一了。

In China, to make your right hand into a fist with the only index finger raised up is the Chinese number gesture standing for the Chinese number 一 (yī), the Arabic numeral "1" (one).

在中国，右手握拳，仅将食指竖起来，则代表中文数字“一”，也就是阿拉伯数字 1。

In some European countries such as Germany, France, and Spain, they do the gesture slightly differently by making the thumb extended to represent the number one.

在如德、法、西班牙这样的欧洲国家，他们的手势略有一点不同，是将大拇指伸出来代表数字 1。

However, there are also some countries where the locals operate the gesture completely opposite. For example, the Japanese used to expand all fingers but only fold the thumb to the palm to represent the number one.

但是，也有个别国家的操作是完全相反的。比如，日本人表示数字 1 的手势是习惯于将五指展开，仅将大拇指收拢于掌心。

Learn Chinese Gesture for the Number Two

中国手势表示数字“二”
[Biǎo shì shù zì èr]

To represent the number two in China, that is the Chinese number 二 (èr), just raise both your index and middle finger at the same time.

在中国，要表示中国数字“二” ，即阿拉伯数字 2，只要同时竖起食指和中指就可以了。

In addition, the Chinese gesture of number two also expresses other meanings of "success", "victory" and even "Happy". It is quite easy to find out that this is one of most Chinese tourists' favorite poses and gestures to use when they are taking photographs. They use such scissors-like hand gestures without any offense to others, but just express their happy mood of successfully being there and enjoying a great trip there.

另外，中国数字二的手势也表达“成功”、“胜利”甚至“开心”的意思。你很容易发现这是许多中国游客最常用的拍照姿势和手势。中国人用这样类似剪刀手的手势并没有任何冒犯之意，而仅仅只是表达她们成功到此一游的愉快经历和心情。

Chinese Number Gesture For Number Three

中国手势表示数字“三”
[Biǎo shì shù zì sān]

It is very simple and logical to signify the numbers from one to five with Chinese numbers gestures. Once you have learned the Chinese gestures of numbers one and two, it is not hard to think of the number three's gesture.

中国比划数字 1 到 5 的手势是十分简单且彼此有逻辑关联的。一旦你学会了数字 1 和 2 的手势，就不难联想到数字 3 的手势了。

Normally you can continually extend the ring finger after the index and middle one are raised to indicate the Chinese number three, 三 (sān).

通常继食指和中指之后继续竖起无名指就是表示中文数字“三”，即阿拉伯数字 3。

However, another easier way to show the number three got more popular in southern China. That is to force your index finger to touch the thumb while keeping the other three upraised, the gesture similar to OK's.

但是，在中国南方还流行另外一种更简单地表示数字 3 的手势。方法是，将食指和拇指相触，竖起另外三根手指，即类似 OK 的手势。

Chinese Number Gesture For the Number Four

中国手势表示数字“四”
[Biǎo shì shù zì sì]

As regards the Chinese gesture of the number four, 四 (sì), you can continue to extend your little finger based on the gesture of the number three, which is just the way mentioned above that how the Japanese used to express their number one.

至于数字四 （阿拉伯数字 4）的中国手势，你可以在数字3的手势基础上继续伸出小拇指。这个手势刚好是上述提到的日本人表达数字 1 的方式。

Chinese Number Gesture For the Number Five

中国手势表示数字“五”
[Biǎo shì shù zì wǔ]

The Chinese hand gesture of the numeral five, 五 (wǔ), is to extend your hand with full five fingers open, which is also a common gesture used widely throughout most western countries.

中国数字五（阿拉伯数字 5）的手势是伸出手掌，五指全开。这也是个广泛用于大多数西方国家的通用手势。

But the following Chinese numbers gestures from six to ten become significantly different in China and western's.

但是，从以下数字 6 到10 的数字手势开始，中西方的比划方式就大不相同了。

Learn Chinese Gesture For the Number Six

中国手势表示数字“六”
[Biǎo shì shù zì liù]

Enjoy!