一二三四五六七八九十
Chinese numerals
A naming system in base 10, with a zero.
StructureMultiplicative — digit times named power, written as the number is said
Base10
ZeroYes — a true zero, holding an empty place
Regionthe Chinese-writing world
Datesattested on oracle bones, c. 1200 BCE
Unicodewithin the Han blocks
Status living
Curatorial note
Not positional and not additive: a number is written the way it is said, as digit times named power — 三百五十 is three-hundred five-ten. The named powers make the structure explicit rather than implied by column, so nothing is ambiguous and nothing needs a placeholder. A second set of anti-fraud forms (壹貳參) is still used on cheques, because 一 is one stroke away from 二.
Specimen
The digits, at size 56 一二三四五六七八九十
40 一二三四五六七八九十
26 一二三四五六七八九十
17 一二三四五六七八九十