五
我有五个苹果。
I have five apples.
The cardinal number between four and six.
五个人一起去看电影。
Five people went to watch a movie together.
现在是五点钟。
It's five o'clock now.
Used in counting, time, dates, and ordinal contexts (e.g., '第五' means 'fifth').
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Counting and Time
The character 五 is used in counting (e.g., 五个人) and time expressions (e.g., 五点 for 5 o'clock). For ordinal numbers, add 第 before it (e.g., 第五 for 'fifth').
Gold Rule
Numeral Usage
五 is a numeral and is not used as an adjective or verb. It is always placed before a noun or in time-related expressions.
Word Origin
Pictogram of a hand with five fingers, dating back to oracle bone script (甲骨文). The character evolved from a depiction of an open hand to the modern form.
Usage Notes
In Chinese culture, the number five (五) is often associated with the five elements (五行: wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and the five directions (east, west, south, north, center). It is also a common number in traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy.