Usage note
三表示数字3。
sān biǎo shì shù zì 3。
三 means the number 3.
Context note
三常用于数数、年龄和数量。
sān cháng yòng yú shuò shuò 、 nián líng hé shù liàng。
三 is often used for counting, age, and quantity.
5 examples
我有三本书。
wǒ yǒu sān běn shū。
I have three books.
三个人在门口。
sān gè rén zài mén kǒu。
Three people are at the door.
我三岁。
wǒ sān suì。
I am three years old.
请给我三个苹果。
qǐng gěi wǒ sān gè píng guǒ。
Please give me three apples.
三只猫在窗边。
sān zhī māo zài chuāng biān。
Three cats are by the window.
5 mini stories
今天我数到三。然后我开始读书。
jīn tiān wǒ shù dào sān。 rán hòu wǒ kāi shǐ dú shū。
Today I counted to three. Then I started reading.
桌子上有三本书。它们都是中文书。
zhuō zi shàng yǒu sān běn shū。 tā men dōu shì zhōng wén shū。
There are three books on the table. They are all Chinese books.
妹妹今年三岁。她很喜欢画画。
mèi mei jīn nián sān suì。 tā hěn xǐ huan huà huà。
My younger sister is three this year. She likes drawing very much.
老师让我们把三盒彩笔放好。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men bǎ sān hé cǎi bǐ fàng hǎo。
The teacher asked us to put away three boxes of crayons.
三只小鸟站在树上。它们一起唱歌。
sān zhī xiǎo niǎo zhàn zài shù shàng。 tā men yì qǐ chàng gē。
Three little birds are on the tree. They sing together.
Mini dialogue
数苹果
A
你有几个苹果？
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè píngguǒ?
How many apples do you have?
B
我有三个苹果。
Wǒ yǒu sān gè píngguǒ.
I have three apples.
三岁
A
你的弟弟几岁了？
Nǐ de dìdi jǐ suì le?
How old is your younger brother?
B
他三岁了。
Tā sān suì le.
He is three years old.
Related words and contrasts
related
二
èr
two
number before three
related
四
sì
four
number after three