Elementary | Big Numbers
Oct 16, 2026 · 16m
Summary
This ChinesePod beginner lesson teaches how to read and say large numbers in Chinese, focusing on units like ten thousand (万) and hundred million (亿). Hosts John and Jennie explain how Chinese number groupings differ from English, using a dialogue where a student asks a teacher to read a large bank balance. They break down the specific tones and characters for each unit, emphasizing that 100,000 is "ten ten-thousands" rather than a standalone word. Finally, John shares practical tips for memorizing key reference points, such as "million" (100万) and China’s population (14亿), to help learners…
Topics discussed
Introduction and preview of the word for numbers
Dialogue listening practice (three times)
Dialogue translation and breakdown
Explaining the dialogue context and key vocabulary
Basic units: ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand
The difference between Chinese and English number groupings
Larger units: hundred thousand, million, ten million, hundred million
Visualizing the numbers and concluding the dialogue analysis
ChinesePod Trivia and app promotion
Re-listening to the dialogue
John's tip: memorize 'million' as a reference point
John's tip: memorize China's population (1.4 billion)
Closing remarks and sign-off
Lesson access information and resources
Listen ad-free on Castria