numeral HSK 1
shí
fifty · 50

Meaning

The number fifty in Mandarin Chinese, formed by combining 五 (five) and 十 (ten), literally meaning 'five tens.' This is the standard way Chinese constructs multiples of ten from 20 to 90.

Usage

Used in all contexts where the number 50 appears: counting, prices, ages, measurements, etc. When stating age, Chinese speakers often say 五十岁 (fifty years old). In prices, it appears as 五十块 or 五十元.

Examples

  1. 01
    这件衣服五十块钱。
    Zhè jiàn yīfu shí kuài qián.
    This piece of clothing costs fifty yuan.
  2. 02
    我爸爸今年五十岁了。
    bàba jīnnián shí suì le.
    My dad is fifty years old this year.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 五十
    shí suì
    fifty years old
  • 五十
    shí kuài
    fifty yuan
  • 五十
    shí
    fifty (items)
  • 五十
    shí fēn
    fifty points/minutes

Origin

Formed through the productive Chinese number system where multiples of ten are expressed as 'digit + ten.' This pattern applies consistently from 20 through 90.

Related