一
yī
One
一 (yī) is the fundamental word for "one" in Mandarin Chinese. It's used for counting, indicating a single item, or as part of larger numbers and phrases.
What does 一 (yī) mean?
一 (yī) means “one” in English.
When to use it
Neutral. It's used in all contexts from casual counting to formal expressions. When used with a classifier, it often means "a" or "an" (e.g., 一个 means "a/one [of something]").
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "YEE." However, its tone frequently changes depending on the tone of the following character. The original tone is a high-level first tone.
Other ways to say it
- 一个yí geone (of something) / a
- 第一dì yīfirst / number one
- 一样yí yàngthe same / alike
Examples
我有一个苹果。
wǒ yǒu yí ge píngguǒ.
I have one apple.
他是一个好老师。
tā shì yí ge hǎo lǎoshī.
He is a good teacher.
请给我一杯水。
qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ.
Please give me a glass of water.
Pro tip: Tone change: The tone of 一 changes! It becomes a rising (second) tone before a fourth tone (e.g., 一个, yī gè) and a falling (fourth) tone before a first, second, or third tone (e.g., 一杯, yī bēi). When used alone or at the end of a phrase, it's its original first tone.
Related phrases
一百 · 100一千 · 1000说谢谢 · Speak thank you
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