百

• Pinyin: bǎi
• Hanzi breakdown: 百 = 一 (one) + 白 (phonetic component) — a full count of one hundred

Meaning

Hundred. The number one hundred; also used figuratively to mean 'numerous' or 'all'.

Used for counting in the hundreds. Can appear in expressions meaning 'numerous' or 'all kinds of', such as 百姓 (common people, literally 'hundred surnames'). In counting, always preceded by a digit: 一百, 两百, 三百.

Examples

1. 这本书一百块钱。 This book costs one hundred yuan.
2. 学校有三百个学生。 The school has three hundred students.
3. 我走了一百步。 I walked one hundred steps.

Usage Guide

Context: number, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个东西两百块。(This thing costs two hundred yuan.)
• 他跑了一百米。(He ran one hundred metres.)

Don't Say

• 一千百 instead of 一千一百 (Don't skip digits — say 一千一百 for 1100, not 一千百)

Origin & History

Composed of 一 (one) atop 白 (white, used as phonetic component). Originally represented the idea of a full count — one cycle of counting completed.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal