Lesson 4: Shopping and Numbers
Learn to shop in Chinese, discuss prices, use larger numbers, and express quantities with measure words
Lesson 4: Shopping and Numbers 🛍️💰
Introduction
Welcome to Lesson 4! Now that you can introduce yourself, talk about your family, and describe your daily routine, it's time to venture into the practical world of shopping (购物 gòuwù). In this lesson, you'll learn how to navigate Chinese markets, ask about prices, negotiate, and use numbers beyond the basics. Shopping is one of the most practical situations where you'll need Chinese, whether you're buying street food, browsing a market, or shopping online.
🎭 Cultural Context: Shopping in China is often a social activity. Don't be afraid to ask questions, compare prices, and even negotiate (讨价还价 tǎojiàhuánjià) at markets – it's expected! However, fixed-price stores (明码标价 míngmǎ biāojià) like supermarkets and department stores don't allow bargaining.
Core Concept 1: Numbers 0-1000 🔢
You've likely learned numbers 1-10 already, but now we'll expand to larger numbers essential for discussing prices.
Basic Numbers Review (0-10)
+--------+--------+----------+
| Number | Pinyin | Character|
+--------+--------+----------+
| 0 | líng | 零 |
| 1 | yī | 一 |
| 2 | èr | 二 |
| 3 | sān | 三 |
| 4 | sì | 四 |
| 5 | wǔ | 五 |
| 6 | liù | 六 |
| 7 | qī | 七 |
| 8 | bā | 八 |
| 9 | jiǔ | 九 |
| 10 | shí | 十 |
+--------+--------+----------+
Building Larger Numbers (11-99)
Chinese numbers follow a logical pattern:
11-19: 十 (shí) + number
- 11 = 十一 (shí yī) - literally "ten one"
- 15 = 十五 (shí wǔ) - "ten five"
- 19 = 十九 (shí jiǔ) - "ten nine"
20-99: (number) + 十 (shí) + (number)
- 20 = 二十 (èr shí) - "two tens"
- 35 = 三十五 (sān shí wǔ) - "three tens five"
- 88 = 八十八 (bā shí bā) - "eight tens eight"
⚠️ Important: For round tens (20, 30, 40...), just say the number + 十:
- 20 = 二十 (èr shí)
- 60 = 六十 (liù shí)
Hundreds and Thousands
+----------+----------+-------------+
| Number | Pinyin | Character |
+----------+----------+-------------+
| 100 | yì bǎi | 一百 |
| 200 | èr bǎi | 二百 |
| 500 | wǔ bǎi | 五百 |
| 1000 | yì qiān | 一千 |
+----------+----------+-------------+
Complex numbers follow the pattern:
- 235 = 二百三十五 (èr bǎi sān shí wǔ) - "two hundred three tens five"
- 789 = 七百八十九 (qī bǎi bā shí jiǔ) - "seven hundred eight tens nine"
- 1000 = 一千 (yì qiān) - "one thousand"
💡 Tip: When saying "two hundred," use 二 (èr), not 两 (liǎng). However, for 200 yuan, you would say 两百块 (liǎng bǎi kuài). This distinction will become clearer as we progress!
Core Concept 2: Money and Prices 💴
Chinese Currency (人民币 Rénmínbì - RMB)
The official currency is the yuan (元 yuán), but in spoken Chinese, people usually say kuài (块) for yuan and máo (毛) for jiao (1/10 of a yuan).
+---------------+----------+-------------+
| Formal Term | Spoken | Value |
+---------------+----------+-------------+
| 元 (yuán) | 块 (kuài)| 1 yuan |
| 角 (jiǎo) | 毛 (máo) | 0.1 yuan |
| 分 (fēn) | 分 (fēn) | 0.01 yuan |
+---------------+----------+-------------+
Expressing Prices
Pattern: Number + 块 (kuài) + Number + 毛 (máo)
- ¥3.50 = 三块五 (sān kuài wǔ) or 三块五毛 (sān kuài wǔ máo)
- ¥15 = 十五块 (shí wǔ kuài)
- ¥28.80 = 二十八块八 (èr shí bā kuài bā)
- ¥100 = 一百块 (yì bǎi kuài)
💡 Shortcut: When the mao amount ends in zero, Chinese speakers often drop it:
- ¥3.50 = 三块五 (sān kuài wǔ) - the 毛 is implied
🧠 Mnemonic: Think of 块 (kuài) as "chunks" of money - the main unit you're counting!
Core Concept 3: Essential Shopping Vocabulary 🏪
Key Verbs and Nouns
买 (mǎi) - to buy 卖 (mài) - to sell 多少钱 (duōshao qián) - how much money / what's the price? 这个 (zhège) - this (one) 那个 (nàge) - that (one) 要 (yào) - to want 有 (yǒu) - to have 看 (kàn) - to look at 贵 (guì) - expensive 便宜 (piányi) - cheap
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't confuse 买 (mǎi - to buy) with 卖 (mài - to sell). The tones are different! 买 is third tone (falling-rising), 卖 is fourth tone (falling).
Question Words for Shopping
+------------------+-----------+-------------------------+
| Character/Pinyin | Meaning | Example Usage |
+------------------+-----------+-------------------------+
| 多少 (duōshao) | how much | 多少钱? (how much?) |
| 什么 (shénme) | what | 什么颜色? (what color?)|
| 哪个 (nǎge) | which | 哪个好? (which is good?)|
+------------------+-----------+-------------------------+
Core Concept 4: Measure Words (量词 liàngcí) 📏
One of the most challenging aspects of Chinese for beginners is measure words (also called classifiers). In Chinese, you can't just say "three apples" - you need a measure word between the number and the noun.
Pattern: Number + Measure Word + Noun
The Universal Measure Word: 个 (gè)
个 (gè) is the most common measure word and can be used for many things, especially people and general objects.
- 一个人 (yí gè rén) - one person
- 两个苹果 (liǎng gè píngguǒ) - two apples
- 三个朋友 (sān gè péngyou) - three friends
💡 Good news: When in doubt, use 个 (gè)! While there are specific measure words for different categories, native speakers will understand if you use 个 for most things.
Common Measure Words for Shopping
+----------+--------+----------------------+----------------+
| Measure | Pinyin | Used For | Example |
+----------+--------+----------------------+----------------+
| 个 | gè | general items | 一个包 (a bag) |
| 件 | jiàn | clothing items | 两件衣服 |
| 本 | běn | books | 三本书 |
| 瓶 | píng | bottles | 一瓶水 |
| 杯 | bēi | cups | 两杯咖啡 |
| 张 | zhāng | flat things (paper) | 一张纸 |
| 把 | bǎ | things with handles | 一把伞 |
+----------+--------+----------------------+----------------+
🤔 Did you know? The measure word often gives you a clue about the shape or category of an item. For example, 张 (zhāng) is used for flat things like tickets, tables, and paper - anything that spreads out!
Example 1: Basic Shopping Dialogue 🛒
Let's see how all these elements come together in a real shopping scenario at a fruit stand.
Scenario: You're at a fruit market and want to buy apples.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🍎 FRUIT STAND CONVERSATION 🍎 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Customer (你): 你好！这个苹果多少钱？ │
│ (Nǐ hǎo! Zhège píngguǒ │
│ duōshao qián?) │
│ Hello! How much are these apples?│
│ │
│ Seller (卖家): 五块钱一斤。 │
│ (Wǔ kuài qián yì jīn.) │
│ Five yuan per jin (500g). │
│ │
│ Customer: 我要两斤。 │
│ (Wǒ yào liǎng jīn.) │
│ I want two jin. │
│ │
│ Seller: 好的，一共十块钱。 │
│ (Hǎo de, yígòng shí kuài qián.) │
│ Okay, ten yuan total. │
│ │
│ Customer: 给你钱。 │
│ (Gěi nǐ qián.) │
│ Here's the money. │
│ │
│ Seller: 谢谢！ │
│ (Xièxie!) │
│ Thank you! │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Breakdown:
- 这个 (zhège) - "this" pointing to the apples
- 多少钱 (duōshao qián) - the essential price question
- 一斤 (yì jīn) - a Chinese unit of weight (500 grams)
- 我要 (wǒ yào) - "I want" - direct and simple
- 一共 (yígòng) - "altogether" or "in total"
- 给你 (gěi nǐ) - "give you"
💡 Cultural Tip: In markets, it's common to ask the price even if it's displayed. This opens the door for friendly conversation and sometimes negotiation!
Example 2: Clothing Shopping 👕
Scenario: You're in a clothing store looking for a T-shirt.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 👔 CLOTHING STORE CONVERSATION 👔 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ You: 你好！我想看看那件T恤。 │
│ (Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ xiǎng kànkan nà jiàn │
│ T-xù.) │
│ Hello! I'd like to look at that T-shirt. │
│ │
│ Clerk: 好的，这件很好看。 │
│ (Hǎo de, zhè jiàn hěn hǎokàn.) │
│ Sure, this one is very nice. │
│ │
│ You: 多少钱？ │
│ (Duōshao qián?) │
│ How much is it? │
│ │
│ Clerk: 八十块。 │
│ (Bā shí kuài.) │
│ Eighty yuan. │
│ │
│ You: 太贵了。有便宜一点的吗？ │
│ (Tài guì le. Yǒu piányi yìdiǎn de ma?) │
│ Too expensive. Do you have cheaper ones? │
│ │
│ Clerk: 这件五十块。 │
│ (Zhè jiàn wǔ shí kuài.) │
│ This one is fifty yuan. │
│ │
│ You: 好，我买这件。 │
│ (Hǎo, wǒ mǎi zhè jiàn.) │
│ Okay, I'll buy this one. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
New Vocabulary:
- 想 (xiǎng) - to want to, would like to
- 看看 (kànkan) - to take a look (verb repetition shows casual action)
- 件 (jiàn) - measure word for clothing
- 好看 (hǎokàn) - good-looking, attractive
- 太...了 (tài...le) - too (expensive/big/small)
- 一点 (yìdiǎn) - a little bit
- 吗 (ma) - question particle
🗣️ Pronunciation Tip: When saying 太贵了 (tài guì le), emphasize the 太 to show strong feeling - "TOO expensive!"
Example 3: At a Restaurant or Café ☕
Scenario: Ordering drinks at a café.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ☕ CAFÉ CONVERSATION ☕ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Waiter: 您要喝什么？ │
│ (Nín yào hē shénme?) │
│ What would you like to drink? │
│ │
│ You: 一杯咖啡，一杯茶。 │
│ (Yì bēi kāfēi, yì bēi chá.) │
│ One coffee, one tea. │
│ │
│ Waiter: 好的。一共三十五块。 │
│ (Hǎo de. Yígòng sān shí wǔ kuài.) │
│ Okay. Thirty-five yuan total. │
│ │
│ You: 可以用微信支付吗？ │
│ (Kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma?) │
│ Can I pay with WeChat? │
│ │
│ Waiter: 可以，请扫这里。 │
│ (Kěyǐ, qǐng sǎo zhèlǐ.) │
│ Yes, please scan here. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
New Vocabulary:
- 您 (nín) - polite "you" (used in service situations)
- 喝 (hē) - to drink
- 杯 (bēi) - measure word for cups/glasses
- 咖啡 (kāfēi) - coffee (sounds like "coffee"!)
- 茶 (chá) - tea
- 可以 (kěyǐ) - can, may, possible
- 微信 (Wēixìn) - WeChat
- 支付 (zhīfù) - to pay
- 扫 (sǎo) - to scan
🤔 Did you know? Mobile payments are extremely common in China. WeChat Pay (微信支付) and Alipay (支付宝 Zhīfùbǎo) have largely replaced cash in urban areas!
Example 4: Mini-Story - A Shopping Adventure 🎒
Let's put everything together in a complete story:
周末购物 (Zhōumò Gòuwù) - Weekend Shopping
今天是星期六。我和朋友去商场买东西。 (Jīntiān shì xīngqīliù. Wǒ hé péngyou qù shāngchǎng mǎi dōngxi.) Today is Saturday. My friend and I go to the mall to buy things.
我们先去书店。我想买两本书。一本中文书，一本英文书。中文书三十块，英文书五十块。一共八十块。 (Wǒmen xiān qù shūdiàn. Wǒ xiǎng mǎi liǎng běn shū. Yì běn Zhōngwén shū, yì běn Yīngwén shū. Zhōngwén shū sān shí kuài, Yīngwén shū wǔ shí kuài. Yígòng bā shí kuài.) We first go to the bookstore. I want to buy two books. One Chinese book, one English book. The Chinese book is thirty yuan, the English book is fifty yuan. Eighty yuan total.
然后我们去服装店。朋友要买一件T恤。她问："这件多少钱？"店员说："六十五块。"朋友说："太贵了！"店员说："这件五十块。"朋友很高兴，买了那件。 (Ránhòu wǒmen qù fúzhuāng diàn. Péngyou yào mǎi yí jiàn T-xù. Tā wèn: "Zhè jiàn duōshao qián?" Diànyuán shuō: "Liù shí wǔ kuài." Péngyou shuō: "Tài guì le!" Diànyuán shuō: "Zhè jiàn wǔ shí kuài." Péngyou hěn gāoxìng, mǎi le nà jiàn.) Then we go to a clothing store. My friend wants to buy a T-shirt. She asks: "How much is this one?" The clerk says: "Sixty-five yuan." My friend says: "Too expensive!" The clerk says: "This one is fifty yuan." My friend is very happy and buys that one.
最后我们去咖啡店。我要一杯咖啡，朋友要一杯茶。一共二十八块。今天很开心！ (Zuìhòu wǒmen qù kāfēi diàn. Wǒ yào yì bēi kāfēi, péngyou yào yì bēi chá. Yígòng èr shí bā kuài. Jīntiān hěn kāixīn!) Finally we go to a coffee shop. I want a cup of coffee, my friend wants a cup of tea. Twenty-eight yuan total. Today is very happy!
New Vocabulary from Story:
- 商场 (shāngchǎng) - shopping mall
- 东西 (dōngxi) - things, stuff
- 先 (xiān) - first
- 书店 (shūdiàn) - bookstore
- 然后 (ránhòu) - then, after that
- 服装店 (fúzhuāng diàn) - clothing store
- 店员 (diànyuán) - store clerk
- 高兴 (gāoxìng) - happy
- 最后 (zuìhòu) - finally, in the end
- 开心 (kāixīn) - happy, joyful
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them ⚠️
Mistake 1: Confusing 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng)
❌ Wrong: 我要二个苹果 (wǒ yào èr gè píngguǒ) ✅ Correct: 我要两个苹果 (wǒ yào liǎng gè píngguǒ) - I want two apples
Rule: Use 两 (liǎng) before measure words, use 二 (èr) when counting or in larger numbers (like 12, 22, 32).
- 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) - two people
- 二十二 (èr shí èr) - twenty-two
Mistake 2: Forgetting Measure Words
❌ Wrong: 我要三书 (wǒ yào sān shū) ✅ Correct: 我要三本书 (wǒ yào sān běn shū) - I want three books
Remember: Number + Measure Word + Noun. Always!
Mistake 3: Wrong Tone on 买 (mǎi) vs 卖 (mài)
❌ Wrong: 我卖这个 (wǒ mài zhège) when you mean "I'm buying this" ✅ Correct: 我买这个 (wǒ mǎi zhège) - I'm buying this
Tip: 买 (mǎi - buy) has third tone (dip down, then up). 卖 (mài - sell) has fourth tone (falling). Think: "Buying takes effort (third tone dips then rises), selling is straightforward (fourth tone falls)."
Mistake 4: Saying Prices Awkwardly
❌ Less natural: 五元五角 (wǔ yuán wǔ jiǎo) ✅ Natural: 五块五 (wǔ kuài wǔ) - 5.50 yuan
In everyday conversation, use 块 (kuài) and 毛 (máo), not the formal 元 (yuán) and 角 (jiǎo).
Mistake 5: Wrong Question Word Order
❌ Wrong: 多少钱这个？(duōshao qián zhège?) ✅ Correct: 这个多少钱？(zhège duōshao qián?) - How much is this?
Pattern: Subject + Verb/Question word
Key Takeaways 🎯
Essential Patterns to Remember
Asking prices: [Item] + 多少钱？
- 这个多少钱？(How much is this?)
Numbers: Follow logical building blocks
- 25 = 二十五 (two tens five)
- 138 = 一百三十八 (one hundred three tens eight)
Measure words: Number + Measure Word + Noun
- 三个人 (three people)
- 两件衣服 (two pieces of clothing)
Expressing wants: 我要 + [item]
- 我要一杯咖啡 (I want a cup of coffee)
Making it natural:
- Use 块 (kuài) not 元 (yuán) in speech
- Use 两 (liǎng) before measure words
- Add 一点 (yìdiǎn) to be polite: 便宜一点 (a little cheaper)
HSK Connection 📖
This lesson covers key vocabulary and structures for HSK 1-2:
- Numbers (HSK 1)
- Shopping vocabulary (HSK 1-2)
- Measure words: 个, 件, 本, 杯 (HSK 1-2)
- Basic question structures (HSK 1)
🧠 Memory Strategy: Practice counting everything around you in Chinese! Count your steps, count items in your room, count the cost of things you buy. The more you use numbers, the more automatic they become.
Quick Reference Card 📋
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ SHOPPING ESSENTIALS CHEAT SHEET ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ KEY PHRASES: ║
║ • 多少钱？ duōshao qián? ║
║ How much? ║
║ • 我要... wǒ yào... ║
║ I want... ║
║ • 太贵了 tài guì le ║
║ Too expensive ║
║ • 有便宜一点的吗？yǒu piányi yìdiǎn de ma? ║
║ Do you have cheaper ones? ║
║ • 我买这个 wǒ mǎi zhège ║
║ I'll buy this ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ NUMBERS: ║
║ 11-19: 十 + number (十五 shí wǔ = 15) ║
║ 20-99: number + 十 + number (三十八 = 38) ║
║ 100s: number + 百 (三百 sān bǎi = 300) ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ MEASURE WORDS: ║
║ 个 gè - general (个人, 个苹果) ║
║ 件 jiàn - clothing (件衣服) ║
║ 本 běn - books (本书) ║
║ 杯 bēi - cups (杯咖啡) ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ MONEY: ║
║ 块 kuài = yuan (spoken) ║
║ 毛 máo = 0.1 yuan (spoken) ║
║ Example: ¥15.50 = 十五块五 ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
📚 Further Study
To deepen your understanding of shopping vocabulary and numbers:
- ChineseSkill App - Interactive lessons on numbers and shopping: https://www.chinese-skill.com/
- HSK Academy - Numbers Guide - Comprehensive guide to Chinese numbers: https://www.hskhsk.com/chinese-numbers.html
- HelloChinese - Shopping Module - Practice dialogues and vocabulary: https://www.hellochinese.cc/
🔧 Try This: Next time you go shopping in your own country, practice thinking of prices in Chinese! Convert the numbers mentally and practice the phrases. This real-world application will make the language stick much faster.
Congratulations on completing Lesson 4! You now have the tools to navigate Chinese shopping situations with confidence. Practice these numbers and phrases daily, and you'll be amazed at how quickly they become second nature! 加油！(Jiāyóu - Keep going!)