十 is the character for “ten”. It is made out of 2 strokes.
| Chinese Character | Simplified Version | Bopomofo | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 十 | 十 | ㄕˊ | shí |
Definition
10; ten
Historical Origins
The Chinese character 十 originally depicted a single vertical stroke. Over time, a horizontal stroke was added, forming the cross-like shape seen today. This evolution distinguished it from 一 (one) and enhanced its representation of “ten.” Some scholars suggest 十 may have originally been a pictogram of a needle, later written as 針 (zhēn, “needle”). Its use as the numeral ten came from a phonetic borrowing, associating the shape with its sound and numeric meaning.
Vocabulary with the Character 十
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 十月 | ㄕˊ ㄩㄝˋ | shí yuè | October |
| 十分 | ㄕˊ ㄈㄣ | shí fēn | Very; completely |
| 十字路口 | ㄕˊ ㄗˋ ㄌㄨˋ ㄎㄡˇ | shí zì lù kǒu | Intersection |
| 十大 | ㄕˊ ㄉㄚˋ | shí dà | Top ten |
| 十全十美 | ㄕˊ ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄕˊ ㄇㄟˇ | shí quán shí měi | Perfect; flawless |
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