第三十三 (dì sān shí sān) — thirty-third (ordinal number)

Definition

Ordinal for 'thirty-third.' Pattern: 第 + number; 第 is dropped when used as a noun or in math contexts (e.g., 第三十三页 = page 33).

numeral
thirty-third (ordinal number)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 第三十三。
    Zhè shì dì sān shí sān gè wèn tí.
    This is the thirty-third question.
  • 第三十三。
    Qǐng fān dào dì sān shí sān yè.
    Please turn to page thirty-three.
  • 第三十三。
    Tā shì míng dān shàng de dì sān shí sān wèi.
    He is the thirty-third person on the list.

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
三十三thirty-three
三sānthree十shíten三sānthree

The 第 'ordinal' part combines with 三, 十, 三 to give 'thirty-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 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early shape 十 was mostly a single vertical stroke, sometimes with a dot, and later gained a horizontal stroke to form a cross. For the number ten, it marked the next digit above one.

Open 十 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

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