三
three
sān
What does 三 mean?
三 (sān) is the Chinese number 'three' — three horizontal strokes stacked, one of the most pictographic characters in the language. It's used for counting (一二三), telling time (三点 sān diǎn, 3 o'clock), dates (三月 sānyuè, March; 三号 sān hào, the 3rd), and ages. Culturally, 三 carries strong meaning: 三 represents heaven, earth, and humanity (天地人) in classical thought, and shows up in countless set phrases — 三思 (think three times before acting), 三人行必有我师 (in any group of three, one will be my teacher).
The formal anti-fraud variant on checks is 叁. Two notes for English speakers: first, 三 keeps its first tone steady, even before another first tone (unlike 一 yī, which changes); second, when 三 modifies a noun you almost always need a measure word — 三个人 (sān ge rén), not 三人 in modern spoken Chinese.
Character breakdown
three; the digit 3 (three stacked strokes)
Memory hook: Three horizontal strokes = three. The pictograph that doesn't need explaining.
Example sentences
我有三个朋友。
Wǒ yǒu sān ge péngyou.
I have three friends.
spoken
现在三点。
Xiànzài sān diǎn.
It's three o'clock now.
neutral
今天星期三。
Jīntiān xīngqīsān.
Today is Wednesday.
spoken
他三岁了。
Tā sān suì le.
He is three years old.
spoken
Common phrases with 三
Synonyms
叁 is the formal anti-fraud variant of 三 used on checks, contracts, and bank slips so the digit cannot be altered. Everyday writing always uses 三.
Don't confuse 三 with
二 ('two') is two stacked strokes; 三 is three stacked strokes. Visually parallel, often learned in the same minute. Different number, different pinyin.
山 ('mountain') looks like three vertical peaks; 三 has three horizontal strokes. Different orientation, different meaning, different pinyin.
王 ('king') is three horizontal strokes connected by a vertical line. 三 has no vertical stroke. Drop the vertical and 王 becomes 三.
FAQ
Acquire by listening
Hear 三 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
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