Meaning
This is the number eleven in Chinese. It literally means 'ten-one' and follows the basic Chinese number formation pattern where compound numbers are built by combining the words for their components. Beyond representing the quantity eleven, it is commonly used as shorthand for National Day (October 1st) or the week-long holiday that follows it.
Usage
Used exactly like the English 'eleven' for counting, dates, times, addresses, etc. In everyday speech, 十一 (shíyī) is frequently used as shorthand for 国庆节 (National Day, October 1st) and especially the Golden Week holiday period. For example, people might say '十一去哪儿玩?' meaning 'Where are you going during the National Day holiday?'
Examples
- 01我家有十一口人。.There are eleven people in my family.
- 02十一你有什么计划吗？?Do you have any plans for National Day (Golden Week)?
Characters
Common collocations
- 十一月November (the eleventh month)
- 十一点eleven o'clock
- 十一号the 11th (day of the month)
- 十一黄金周National Day Golden Week
Origin
Compound number formed by the additive principle: ten plus one equals eleven. This pattern continues throughout Chinese numbers (十二 = twelve, 十三 = thirteen, etc.).