第叁 (dì sān) — (ordinal) third (formal / financial context)

Definition

第叁 is the formal/written spelling of 'third' used in financial and legal documents (contracts, reports). Spoken and ordinary writing uses the standard form 第三.

numeral
(ordinal) third (formal / financial context)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 第叁。
    Qǐng zǐ xì yuè dú dì sān tiáo.
    Please read Article Three carefully.
  • 第叁。
    Zhè ge tiáo kuǎn zài yú dì sān zhāng.
    This clause is contained in Chapter Three.
  • 第叁。
    Fù jiàn dì sān shì jīn nián de cái wù bào biǎo.
    Appendix Three is this year's financial statement.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

第dìordinal
叁sānthree

The ordinal 第 before the formal 叁 marks the position third.

Characters in this word

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
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
弟
弟dì第dì
Same sound today

第 shows 𥫗, the bamboo strips once used for writing and sorting, with 弟 giving the sound.

Open 第 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 叁 →

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