Editing Chinese numerals (section)

== Powers of 10==
=== Large numbers===
{{redirect|万|the surname|Wan (surname)}}
For numbers larger than 10,000, similarly to the [[long and short scales]] in the West, there have been four systems in ancient and modern usage. The original one, with unique names for all powers of ten up to the 14th, is ascribed to the [[Yellow Emperor]] in the 6th century book by Zhen Luan, {{zhi|p=Wujing suanshu|l=Arithmetic in Five Classics}}. In modern Chinese, only the second system is used, in which the same ancient names are used, but each represents a [[myriad]], {{zhi|c=萬|p=wàn}} times the previous:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="100" | Character
! {{zhi|c=萬}}
! {{zhi|c=億}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=兆}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=京}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=垓}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=秭}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=穰}}
! {{zhi|c=溝}}
! {{zhi|c=澗}}
! rowspan="2" | {{zhi|c=正}}
! {{zhi|c=載}}
! rowspan="6" style="text-align:center" | Factor of increase
|-
! Character (S)
! {{zhi|c=万}}
! {{zhi|c=亿}}
! {{zhi|c=沟}}
! {{zhi|c=涧}}
! {{zhi|c=载}}
|-
! Pinyin
! {{zhi|p=wàn}}
! {{zhi|p=yì}}
! {{zhi|p=zhào}}
! {{zhi|p=jīng}}
! {{zhi|p=gāi}}
! {{zhi|p=zǐ}}
! {{zhi|p=rǎng}}
! {{zhi|p=gōu}}
! {{zhi|p=jiàn}}
! {{zhi|p=zhèng}}
! {{zhi|p=zǎi}}
|-
! Jyutping
! {{zhi|j=maan6}}
! {{zhi|j=jik1}}
! {{zhi|j=siu6}}
! {{zhi|j=ging1}}
! {{zhi|j=goi1}}
! {{zhi|j=zi2}}
! {{zhi|j=joeng5}}
! {{zhi|j=kau1}}
! {{zhi|j=gaan3}}
! {{zhi|j=zing3}}
! {{zhi|j=zoi2}}
|-
! Tai Lo
! {{zhi|poj=bān}}
! {{zhi|poj=ik}}
! {{zhi|poj=tiāu}}
! {{zhi|poj=king}}
! {{zhi|poj=kai}}
! {{zhi|poj=cí}}
! {{zhi|poj=jiông}}
! {{zhi|poj=koo}}
! {{zhi|poj=kàn}}
! {{zhi|poj=cèng}}
! {{zhi|poj=cáinn}}
|-
! Wugniu
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|6}}ve}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|6}}yi}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|6}}zau}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|1}}cin}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|1}}ke}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|3}}tsy}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|4}}gnian}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|1}}keu}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|5}}ke}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|5}}tsen}}
! {{Transliteration|wuu|{{sup|5}}tse}}
|-
!Alternative
|
|
|
|{{zhi|t=經|s=经}}
|
|{{zhi|c=𥝱}}
|{{zhi|c=壤}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Rank
|1
|2
|3
|4
|5
|6
|7
|8
|9
|10
|11
|=n
|-
!"short scale" ({{zhi|c=下數}})
|[[10,000|10<sup>4</sup>]]
|[[100,000|10<sup>5</sup>]]
|[[1,000,000|10<sup>6</sup>]]
|[[10,000,000|10<sup>7</sup>]]
|[[100,000,000|10<sup>8</sup>]]
|[[1,000,000,000|10<sup>9</sup>]]
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>10</sup>]]
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>11</sup>]]
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>12</sup>]]
|10<sup>13</sup>
|10<sup>14</sup>
|=10<sup>n+3</sup>

Each numeral is 10 ({{zhi|c=十|p=shí}}) times the previous.
|-
!"myriad scale" ({{zhi|c=萬進}}, current usage)
|10<sup>4</sup>
|10<sup>8</sup>
|10<sup>12</sup>
|10<sup>16</sup>
|10<sup>20</sup>
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>24</sup>]]
|10<sup>28</sup>
|10<sup>32</sup>
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>36</sup>]]
|10<sup>40</sup>
|10<sup>44</sup>
|=10<sup>4n</sup>

Each numeral is 10,000 ({{zhi|t=萬|s=万|p=wàn}}) times the previous.
|-
!"mid-scale" ({{zhi|c=中數}})
|10<sup>4</sup>
|10<sup>8</sup>
|10<sup>16</sup>
|10<sup>24</sup>
|10<sup>32</sup>
|10<sup>40</sup>
|[[Orders of magnitude (numbers)|10<sup>48</sup>]]
|10<sup>56</sup>
|10<sup>64</sup>
|10<sup>72</sup>
|10<sup>80</sup>
|=10<sup>8(n-1)</sup>

Starting with {{zhi|c=亿}}, each numeral is 10<sup>8</sup> ({{zhi|t=萬乘以萬|s=万乘以万|p=wàn chéngyǐ wàn|l=10000 times 10000}}) times the previous.
|-
!"long scale" ({{zhi|c=上數}})
|10<sup>4</sup>
|10<sup>8</sup>
|10<sup>16</sup>
|10<sup>32</sup>
|10<sup>64</sup>
|10<sup>128</sup>
|10<sup>256</sup>
|10<sup>512</sup>
|10<sup>1024</sup>
|10<sup>2048</sup>
|10<sup>4096</sup>
|=10<sup>2<sup>n+1</sup></sup>

Each numeral is the [[square (algebra)|square]] of the previous. This is similar to the [[-yllion]] system.
|}
In practice, this situation does not lead to ambiguity, with the exception of {{zhi|c=兆|p=zhào}}, which means 10<sup>12</sup> according to the system in common usage throughout the Chinese communities as well as in [[Japanese numerals|Japan]] and [[Korean numerals|Korea]], but has also been used for 10<sup>6</sup> in recent years (especially in mainland China for [[megabyte]]). To avoid problems arising from the ambiguity, the [[People's Republic of China|PRC]] government never uses this character in official documents, but uses {{zhi|c=万亿|p=wànyì}}) or {{zhi|c=太|p=tài|l=tera-}} instead. Partly due to this, combinations of {{zhi|c=万}} and {{zhi|c=亿}} are often used instead of the larger units of the traditional system as well, for example {{zhi|c=亿亿|p=yìyì}} instead of {{zhi|c=京}}. The [[Republic of China|ROC]] government in [[Taiwan]] uses {{zhi|c=兆|p=zhào}} to mean 10<sup>12</sup> in official documents.

=== Large numbers from Buddhism ===
{{Expand Chinese|中文数字#大數系統|date=September 2010}}
Numerals beyond {{zhi|c=載}} zǎi come from [[Buddhist texts]] in [[Sanskrit]], but are mostly found in ancient texts. Some of the following words are still being used today, but may have transferred meanings.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Character
! Pinyin
! Jyutping
! Tai Lo
! Shanghainese
! Value
! Notes
|-
|{{zhi|t=極|s=极}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|jí}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|gik6}}
|ke̍k
|{{Transliteration|wuu|jiq<sup>8</sup>}}
|10<sup>48</sup>
|Literally 'extreme'.
|-
|{{zhi|t=恆河沙|s=恒河沙}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|héng hé shā}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|hang4 ho4 saa1}}
|hîng-hô-sua
|{{Transliteration|wuu|ghen<sup>2</sup>-wu-so}}
|10<sup>52</sup>{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
|Literally 'sands of the [[Ganges]]', a metaphor used in a number of [[Buddhist texts]] referring to many individual grains of sand
|-
| style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=阿僧祇}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|ā sēng qí}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|aa1 zang1 kei4}}
|a-sing-kî
|a<sup>1</sup>-sen-ji
|10<sup>56</sup>
|From Sanskrit {{Transliteration|sa|[[Asaṃkhyeya]]}} {{lang|sa|असंख्येय}} 'innumerable', 'infinite'
|-
| style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=那由他}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|nà yóu tā}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|naa5 jau4 taa1}}
|ná-iû-thann
|{{Transliteration|wuu|na<sup>1</sup>-yeu-tha}}
|10<sup>60</sup>
|From Sanskrit {{Transliteration|sa|nayuta}} {{lang|sa|नियुत}} 'myriad'
|-
|{{zhi|c=不可思議|s=不可思议}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|bùkě sīyì}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|bat1 ho2 si1 ji3}}
|put-khó-su-gī
|{{Transliteration|wuu|peq<sup>7</sup>-khu sy<sup>1</sup>-gni}}
|10<sup>64</sup>
|Literally translated as "unfathomable". This word is commonly used in Chinese as a [[chengyu]], meaning "unimaginable", instead of its original meaning of the number 10<sup>64</sup>.
|-
|{{zhi|t=無量大數|s=无量大数}}
|{{Transliteration|zh|wú liàng dà shù}}
|{{Transliteration|yue|mou4 loeng6 daai6 sou3}}
|bû-liōng tāi-siàu
|{{Transliteration|wuu|m<sup>6</sup>-lian du<sup>6</sup>-su}}
|10<sup>68</sup>
|{{zhi|c=无量}} literally 'without measure', and can mean 10<sup>68</sup>. This word is also commonly used in Chinese as a commendatory term, means 'no upper limit'. e.g.: {{zhi|c=前途无量}} 'a great future'. {{zhi|c=大数}} 'a large number', and can mean 10<sup>72</sup>.
|}

===Small numbers===
The following are characters used to denote small [[order of magnitude]] in Chinese historically. With the introduction of SI units, some of them have been incorporated as SI prefixes, while the rest have fallen into disuse.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="70"|Characters
!width="60"|Pinyin
! Value
! Notes
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|{{zhi|c=漠}}
|mò
|10<sup>−12</sup>
|(Ancient Chinese)
{{zhi|c=皮}} corresponds to the [[#SI prefixes|SI prefix]] [[pico-]].
|-
|  style="text-align:center;"|{{zhi|c=渺}}
|miǎo
|10<sup>−11</sup>
|(Ancient Chinese)
|-
| style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=埃}}
|āi
|10<sup>−10</sup>
|(Ancient Chinese)
|-
|{{zhi|t=塵|s=尘}}
|chén
|10<sup>−9</sup>
|Literally 'dust'
{{zhi|t=奈|s=纳}} (S) corresponds to the SI prefix [[nano-]].
|-
|  style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=沙}}
|shā
|10<sup>−8</sup>
|Literally, "Sand"
|-
|{{zhi|t=纖|s=纤}}
|xiān
|10<sup>−7</sup>
|'fiber'
|-
| style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=微}}
|wēi
|10<sup>−6</sup>
|still used, corresponds to the SI prefix [[micro-]].
|-
|  style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=忽}}
|hū
|10<sup>−5</sup>
|(Ancient Chinese)
|-
|{{zhi|t=絲|s=丝}}
|sī
|10<sup>−4</sup>
|also {{zhi|c=秒}}.
Literally, "Thread"
|-
| style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=毫}}
|háo
|10<sup>−3</sup>
|also {{zhi|c=毛}}.
still in use, corresponds to the SI prefix [[milli-]].
|-
|style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=厘}}
|lí
|[[hundredth|10<sup>−2</sup>]]
|also {{zhi|c=釐}}.
still in use, corresponds to the SI prefix [[centi-]].
|-
|  style="text-align:center"|{{zhi|c=分}}
|fēn
|[[0.1|10<sup>−1</sup>]]
|still in use, corresponds to the SI prefix [[deci-]].
|}

===Small numbers from Buddhism===
{| class="wikitable nowrap"
|-
! Characters
! Pinyin
! Value
! Notes
|-
|{{zhi|t=涅槃寂靜|s=涅槃寂静}}
|{{zhi|p=niè pán jì jìng}}
|10<sup>−24</sup>
|'Nirvana's tranquillity'
{{zhi|t=攸|s=幺}} corresponds to the [[#SI prefixes|SI prefix]] [[yocto-]].
|-
|{{zhi|t=阿摩羅|s=阿摩罗}}
|{{zhi|p=ā mó luó}}
|10<sup>−23</sup>
|From Sanskrit {{lang|sa|अमल}} {{Transliteration|sa|amala}}
|-
|{{zhi|t=阿頼耶|s=阿赖耶}}
|{{zhi|p=ā lài yē}}
|10<sup>−22</sup>
|From Sanskrit {{lang|sa|आलय}} {{Transliteration|sa|ālaya}}
|-
|{{zhi|t=清靜|s=清净}}
|{{zhi|p=qīng jìng}}
|10<sup>−21</sup>
|'quiet'
{{zhi|t=介|s=仄}} corresponds to the SI prefix [[zepto-]].
|-
|{{zhi|t=虛空|s=虚空}}
|{{zhi|p=xū kōng}}
|10<sup>−20</sup>
|'void'
|-
| {{zhi|c=六德}}
|{{zhi|p=liù dé}}
|10<sup>−19</sup>
|-
|{{zhi|t=剎那|s=刹那}}
|{{zhi|p=chà nà}}
|10<sup>−18</sup>
|Literally 'brevity', from Sanskrit {{lang|sa|क्षण}} {{Transliteration|sa|ksaṇa}}. {{zhi|c=阿}} corresponds to the SI prefix [[atto-]].
|-
|{{zhi|t=彈指|s=弹指}}
|{{zhi|p=tán zhǐ}}
|10<sup>−17</sup>
|Literally 'flick of a finger'. Still commonly used in the phrase {{zhi|c=弹指一瞬间|l=a very short time}}
|-
| {{zhi|c=瞬息}}
|{{zhi|p=shùn xī}}
|10<sup>−16</sup>
|Literally 'moment of breath'. Still commonly used in the ''[[chengyu]]'' {{zhi|c=瞬息万变}} 'many things changed in a very short time'
|-
|{{zhi|t=須臾|s=须臾}}
|{{zhi|p=xū yú}}
|10<sup>−15</sup>
|Rarely used in modern Chinese as 'a very short time'. {{zhi|t=飛|s=飞}} corresponds to the SI prefix [[femto-]].
|-
||{{zhi|c=逡巡}}
|{{zhi|p=qūn xún}}
|10<sup>−14</sup>
|-
| {{zhi|c=模糊}}
|{{zhi|p=mó hu}}
|10<sup>−13</sup>
|'blurred'
|}

===SI prefixes===
{{see also|Chinese units of measurement}}
In the People's Republic of China, the early translation for the [[SI prefix]]es in 1981 was different from those used today. The larger ({{zhi|c=兆}}, {{zhi|c=京}}, {{zhi|c=垓}}, {{zhi|c=秭}}, {{zhi|c=穰}}) and smaller Chinese numerals ({{zhi|c=微}}, {{zhi|c=纖}}, {{zhi|c=沙}}, {{zhi|c=塵}}, {{zhi|c=渺}}) were defined as translation for the SI prefixes as ''mega'', ''giga'', ''tera'', ''peta'', ''exa'', ''micro'', ''nano'', ''pico'', ''femto'', ''atto'', resulting in the creation of yet more values for each numeral.<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes">{{in lang|zh}} [http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2011-11/09/content_1989016.htm 1981 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111151047/http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2011-11/09/content_1989016.htm |date=2012-01-11 }}, [http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1981/gwyb198118.pdf No. 365] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104042737/http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1981/gwyb198118.pdf |date=2014-11-04 }}, page 575, Table 7: SI prefixes</ref>

The Republic of China (Taiwan) defined {{zhi|c=百萬}} as the translation for ''mega'' and {{zhi|c=兆}} as the translation for ''tera''. This translation is widely used in official documents, academic communities, informational industries, etc. However, the civil broadcasting industries sometimes use {{zhi|c=兆赫}} to represent "[[megahertz]]".

Today, the governments of both China and Taiwan use phonetic transliterations for the SI prefixes. However, the governments have each chosen different Chinese characters for certain prefixes. The following table lists the two different standards together with the early translation.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ SI Prefixes
|-
! Value
! Symbol
! English
! colspan="2" | Early translation
! colspan="2" | [[People's Republic of China|PRC]] standard
! colspan="2" | [[Republic of China|ROC]] standard<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bsmi.gov.tw/wSite/public/Attachment/f1698828903738.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113153412/https://www.bsmi.gov.tw/wSite/public/Attachment/f1698828903738.pdf |archive-date=13 January 2024 |title=法定度量衡單位及前綴詞 |last= |first= |date=31 October 2023 |website=bsmi.gov.tw |publisher= |quote=}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>30</sup>||Q||[[quetta-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=昆}} 
|kūn
|| {{zhi|c=昆}}
|kūn
|-
|10<sup>27</sup>||R||[[ronna-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=容}} 
|róng
|| {{zhi|c=羅}}
|luó
|-
|10<sup>24</sup>||Y||[[yotta-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=尧}} 
|yáo
|| {{zhi|c=佑}}
|yòu
|-
|10<sup>21</sup>||Z||[[zetta-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=泽}} 
|zé
|| {{zhi|c=皆}}
|jiē
|-
|10<sup>18</sup>||E||[[exa-]]
| {{zhi|c=穰}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|ráng|| {{zhi|c=艾}} 
|ài
|| {{zhi|c=艾}}
|ài
|-
|10<sup>15</sup>||P||[[peta-]]
| {{zhi|c=秭}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|zǐ|| {{zhi|c=拍}} 
|pāi
|| {{zhi|c=拍}}
|pāi
|-
|10<sup>12</sup>||T||[[tera-]]
| {{zhi|c=垓}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|gāi|| {{zhi|c=太}} 
|tài
|| {{zhi|c=兆}}
|zhào
|-
|10<sup>9</sup>||G||[[giga-]]
| {{zhi|c=京}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|jīng|| {{zhi|c=吉}} 
|jí
|| {{zhi|c=吉}}
|jí
|-
|10<sup>6</sup>||M||[[mega-]]
| {{zhi|c=兆}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|zhào|| {{zhi|c=兆}} 
|zhào
|| {{zhi|c=百萬}}
|bǎiwàn
|-
|10<sup>3</sup>||k||[[kilo-]]
| {{zhi|c=千}}
|qiān|| {{zhi|c=千}} 
|qiān
|| {{zhi|c=千}}
|qiān
|-
|10<sup>2</sup>||h||[[hecto-]]
| {{zhi|c=百}}
|bǎi|| {{zhi|c=百}} 
|bǎi|| {{zhi|c=百}}
|bǎi
|-
|10<sup>1</sup>||da||[[deca-]]
| {{zhi|c=十}}
|shí|| {{zhi|c=十}} 
|shí
|| {{zhi|c=十}}
|shí
|-
|10<sup>0</sup>||(base)||[[one]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=一}} 
|yī
|| {{zhi|c=一}}
|yī
|-
|10<sup>−1</sup>||d||[[deci-]]
| {{zhi|c=分}}
|fēn|| {{zhi|c=分}} 
|fēn
|| {{zhi|c=分}}
|fēn
|-
|10<sup>−2</sup>||c||[[centi-]]
| {{zhi|c=厘}}
|lí|| {{zhi|c=厘}} 
|lí
|| {{zhi|c=厘}}
|lí
|-
|10<sup>−3</sup>||m||[[milli-]]
| {{zhi|c=毫}}
|háo|| {{zhi|c=毫}} 
|háo
|| {{zhi|c=毫}}
|háo
|-
|10<sup>−6</sup>||μ||[[micro-]]
| {{zhi|c=微}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|wēi
|| {{zhi|c=微}} 
|wēi
|| {{zhi|c=微}}
|wēi
|-
|10<sup>−9</sup>||n||[[nano-]]
| {{zhi|c=纖}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|xiān
|| {{zhi|c=纳}} 
|nà
|| {{zhi|c=奈}}
|nài
|-
|10<sup>−12</sup>||p||[[pico-]]
| {{zhi|c=沙}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|shā|| {{zhi|c=皮}} 
|pí
|| {{zhi|c=皮}}
|pí
|-
|10<sup>−15</sup>||f||[[femto-]]
| {{zhi|c=塵}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|chén|| {{zhi|c=飞}} 
|fēi
|| {{zhi|c=飛}}
|fēi
|-
|10<sup>−18</sup>||a||[[atto-]]
| {{zhi|c=渺}}<ref name="PRC1981SIprefixes" />
|miǎo
|| {{zhi|c=阿}} 
|à
|| {{zhi|c=阿}}
|à
|-
|10<sup>−21</sup>||z||[[zepto-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=仄}} 
|zè
|| {{zhi|c=介}}
|jiè
|-
|10<sup>−24</sup>||y||[[yocto-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=幺}}
|yāo
|| {{zhi|c=攸}}
|yōu
|-
|10<sup>−27</sup>||r||[[ronto-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=柔}}
|róu
|| {{zhi|c=絨}}
|róng
|-
|10<sup>−30</sup>||q||[[quecto-]]
|&nbsp;
||| {{zhi|c=亏}} 
|kuī
|| {{zhi|c=匱}}
|kuì
|}