Usage note
甲常表示第一，也可指甲壳或指甲。
jiǎ cháng biǎo shì dì yī， yě kě zhǐ jiǎ qiào huò zhǐ jiǎ。
甲 means first, or can refer to nails/shells.
Context note
甲常用于编号、化学和书面语。
jiǎ cháng yòng yú biān hào 、 huà xué hé shū miàn yǔ。
It is often used with numbering, chemistry, and written language.
5 examples
甲队赢了。
jiǎ duì yíng le。
Team A won.
甲方和乙方。
jiǎ fāng hé yǐ fāng。
Party A and Party B.
他的指甲很长。
tā de zhǐ jiǎ hěn cháng。
His fingernails are long.
甲鱼很有名。
jiǎ yú hěn yǒu míng。
Soft-shelled turtle is famous.
甲常表示第一。
jiǎ cháng biǎo shì dì yī。
甲 often means first.
5 mini stories
老师说，甲和乙是常见的编号。
lǎo shī shuō， jiǎ hé yǐ shì cháng jiàn de biān hào。
The teacher said 甲 and 乙 are common labels.
比赛里，甲队和乙队都很强。
bǐ sài lǐ， jiǎ duì hé yǐ duì dōu hěn qiáng。
In the competition, Team A and Team B were both strong.
他把指甲剪短了。
tā bǎ zhǐ jiǎ jiǎn duǎn le。
He cut his fingernails short.
甲在这里表示第一。
jiǎ zài zhè lǐ biǎo shì dì yī。
甲 here means first.
书面语里常见甲、乙、丙。
shū miàn yǔ lǐ cháng jiàn jiǎ 、 yǐ 、 bǐng。
In written language, 甲, 乙, and 丙 are common.
Mini dialogue
考试排名
A
这次数学考试你得了第几名？
Zhè cì shùxué kǎoshì nǐ déle dì jǐ míng?
What rank did you get in this math exam?
B
我得了甲等，特别开心！
Wǒ déle jiǎ děng, tèbié kāixīn!
I got first class, I'm so happy!
辨认字母
A
这个字怎么读？
Zhège zì zěnme dú?
How do you read this character?
B
读'甲'，是天干的第一位。
Dú 'jiǎ', shì tiāngān de dì yī wèi.
Read 'jiǎ', it's the first of the Heavenly Stems.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
乙
yǐ
second; B
The second in a series, often used with 甲
contrast
丙
bǐng
third; C
The third in a series, following 甲 and 乙
similar
第一
dì yī
first
Ordinal number for first