xùshù biǎodá: dì
Ordinal numbers with 第 (序数表达：第)
第 turns a number into an ordinal: 第一, 第二, 第三. Use it for rank, order, floor/level, and “the N-th time,” but not for dates or ages.
核心例句
我第一次来北京，一切都很新鲜。
Wǒ dì yī cì lái Běijīng, yīqiè dōu hěn xīnxiān.
It's my first time in Beijing — everything feels fresh and new.
HSK 2
HSK 2
2
2 个结构
10
10 个练习
课程摘要
第 turns a number into an ordinal: 第一, 第二, 第三. Use it for rank, order, floor/level, and “the N-th time,” but not for dates or ages.
序数表达：第 is an HSK2 grammar point about forming ordinal numbers in Chinese.
1. 第 turns cardinal numbers into ordinal numbers: 一 (one) → 第一 (first), 二 (two) → 第二 (second), 三 (three) → 第三 (third).
2. Formula: 第 + number + measure word + noun (noun is optional). Examples: 第一个人 (the first person), 第二次 (the second time), 第三名 (third place).
3. Common patterns in daily life: 第一名 (first place in a competition), 第二次 (the second time doing something), 第三个 (the third one), 第四层 (the fourth floor).
4. When NOT to add 第: dates use bare numbers (三月五日, NOT 第三月第五日); ages never use 第 (二十岁, NOT 第二十岁); Chinese floor numbers often use bare numbers (三楼), though 第三层 is also acceptable.
5. Special usage: 第一 used alone can mean "most important" or "top priority": 安全第一 (Safety first), 健康第一 (Health is the top priority).
6. Compare cardinal vs ordinal: 三个人 (three people — quantity) vs 第三个人 (the third person — position/order). The meaning shifts completely with 第.
7. Common mistakes: adding 第 before month/day numbers, using 第 with ages, or forgetting 第 when ordinal meaning is required.
语法句型
第 + number + measure word (+ noun)
Use 第 before a number and measure word to form an ordinal expression indicating position or sequence.
她是第一个到教室的学生。
Tā shì dì yī gè dào jiàoshì de xuésheng.
She was the first student to arrive in the classroom.
这是我第二次去那家餐厅。
Zhè shì wǒ dì èr cì qù nà jiā cāntīng.
This is my second time going to that restaurant.
我住在第三层。
Wǒ zhù zài dì sān céng.
I live on the third floor.
语法句型
第 + number + 名 (ranking/position)
Use 第 + number + 名 to express rankings in competitions, exams, or other ordered results.
他在比赛中得了第一名。
Tā zài bǐsài zhōng dé le dì yī míng.
He got first place in the competition.
我们班这次考试有三个人得了第二名。
Wǒmen bān zhè cì kǎoshì yǒu sān gè rén dé le dì èr míng.
Three students in our class got second place in this exam.
她每次都是第三名，从来没有第一名。
Tā měi cì dōu shì dì sān míng, cónglái méiyǒu dì yī míng.
She always comes in third place — never first.
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