零零一 (líng líng yī) — (unclear measure word)

Definition

零零一 is not a standard word on its own — here it represents a single placeholder slot (like 'item 001') used after a number to stand in for a counted thing, similar to a generic 'piece' or 'one' in English (e.g. 'three of them').

numeral

(unclear measure word)

Examples

零零一。
Zhè shì dì yī líng líng yī líng jiàn.
This is the first part.
零零一。
Wǒ xū yào liǎng líng líng yī bèi yòng.
I need two spare ones.
零零一。
Tā zhǎo dào le sān líng líng yī cuò wù.
He found three errors.

Origin

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.

雨令零

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

令lìng零líng

Same sound today

In 零, the 雨 part depicts thick raindrops falling from the sky; the 令 part gives the sound.

Open 零 →