七

• Pinyin: qī
• Hanzi breakdown: 七 = ancient symbol originally meaning 'to cut,' borrowed for the number seven

Meaning

Seven. The number seven.

One of the basic Chinese numerals. Used in dates, counting, addresses, and many fixed expressions. Seven holds cultural significance in China — there are seven days in a week, and the Qixi Festival (七夕) on the seventh day of the seventh month is Chinese Valentine's Day.

Examples

1. 今天是七月七号。 Today is July 7th.
2. 我家有七口人。 There are seven people in my family.
3. 他每天七点起床。 He gets up at seven o'clock every day.

Usage Guide

Context: numbers, time

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们七点见。(Let's meet at seven o'clock.)
• 一个星期有七天。(There are seven days in a week.)

Don't Say

• 把七十七说成七七七。(Don't confuse 七十七 (seventy-seven) with repeating 七 — Chinese numbers follow a place-value structure)

Origin & History

An ancient character originally depicting a line crossed by another, representing the concept of 'cutting' — later borrowed purely for its numerical value.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal