Chinese character for ten thousand: 万 (wàn)
The Chinese character for ten thousand is 万 (wàn). It means ten thousand and also countless, as in 万岁 (wànsuì, long live) and 万事如意 (wànshì rúyì, may everything go as you wish). Chinese counts large numbers in units of ten thousand.
How 万 is built
The traditional form 萬 was originally a pictograph of a scorpion, with claws on top and a tail below. Its sound was borrowed for the number ten thousand. The simplified form 万 is a much older, simpler variant that had existed alongside 萬 for centuries. As a memory aid, ten thousand is like a swarm of scorpions: too many to count. Both read wàn.
万 wàn · ten thousand
- 一 — horizontal stroke
How 万 is used
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: Simplified 万 and traditional 萬 look completely different, so choose based on your readers.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for ten thousand?
万 (wàn) means “ten thousand”. In traditional characters it is written 萬.
How do you pronounce 万?
万 is pronounced wàn.
Is 万 simplified or traditional?
万 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore; 萬 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.