五
wǔ
Five
五 (wǔ) is the Chinese character for the number five. It's a fundamental number used in counting, dates, times, and many other contexts in daily life.
What does 五 (wǔ) mean?
五 (wǔ) means “five” in English.
When to use it
Neutral. It's used universally in both formal and informal settings. When used in phone numbers or addresses, it maintains its standard pronunciation.
How to pronounce it
Sounds roughly like “woo” (as in “woo-hoo”). It's a third tone, so your voice dips down and then rises slightly.
Other ways to say it
- 第五dì wǔfifth (ordinal number)
- 五月wǔ yuèMay (the fifth month)
- 五点wǔ diǎnfive o'clock
Examples
我有五本书。
wǒ yǒu wǔ běn shū.
I have five books.
今天是五月五号。
jīntiān shì wǔ yuè wǔ hào.
Today is May 5th.
现在是五点。
xiànzài shì wǔ diǎn.
It is five o'clock now.
Pro tip: While 五 is a third tone, in rapid speech or when counting quickly, the rising part of the tone might be less pronounced, sounding more like a low, dipping tone. However, for clear pronunciation, practice the full dip and rise.
Related phrases
一二三四五六七八九十 · 1 to 10一二三 · 1 2 3十 · 10
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