两万四千 (liǎng wàn sì qiān) — twenty-four thousand (24,000)

Definition

The number 24,000 in Chinese combines 两 (≈2) + 万 (10,000) + 四千 (4,000) — no 和, like all multi-digit numerals. The first ten-thousand can use 两 rather than 二 in spoken numbers above 10,000.

numeral
twenty-four thousand (24,000)

Examples

  • 两万四千。
    Zhè ge chéng shì yǒu liǎng wàn sì qiān rén kǒu.
    This city has a population of 24,000.
  • 两万四千。
    Tā měi yuè gōng zī liǎng wàn sì qiān kuài.
    His monthly salary is 24,000 yuan.
  • 两万四千。
    Xué xiào yǒu liǎng wàn sì qiān míng xué shēng.
    The school has 24,000 students.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

两万
两liǎngtwo万wànten thousand
偏正Modifier + head
四千
四sìfour千qiānthousand
偏正Modifier + head

两万 means two ten-thousands and 四千 four thousands, adding to 24,000.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

Open 两 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 萬; 万 is its simplified writing.

For 万, the form 萬 was originally a picture of a scorpion, later borrowed for its sound to write 'ten thousand'; the scorpion picture is unrelated to that number.

Open 万 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 四 was drawn as a nose breathing out. It later came to be used for the word four.

Open 四 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

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