Kilo Lingo

(dì yī) - the first, number one in Mandarin

Traditional: 第一

Line drawing of 第一
Coloured illustration of 第一
HSK 2
#875 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

the first, number one

Word origin

The word 第一 combines the ordinal prefix 第 with 一 'one', meaning 'the first'. 一 is the simplest indicative character, a single horizontal stroke for the number one.

Origin
compound
Root
第 (dì, ordinal prefix) + 一 (yī, one)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 第

Stroke order for 一

Examples

She is number one.

This is my first time here.

He is the first in our class.

She came first place.

Safety always comes first.

第一 (dì yī) means the first, number one. It is used as a numeral in everyday Mandarin speech.

Used in

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This word is part of lesson 18.