2 · Sounds and characters
Chinese punctuation
full-width marks, and digits or characters for numbers
Each mark fills a full square, lists have a comma of their own, and numbers are written in digits or characters.
Chinese punctuation marks take up the same square as a character, and several look different from their English cousins. The full stop is a small circle, 。; the comma, question mark, exclamation mark and colon are ，, ？, ！ and ：. Because each mark fills its own square, no space follows it, and none stands between words either.
Two marks have no English equivalent. The enumeration comma 、 separates the items of a list: 苹果、香蕉和葡萄. The ordinary comma ， separates parts of a sentence, and Chinese uses it more freely than English does: one long sentence can join with commas what English would split into two or three. Titles of books, films, newspapers and songs go in title marks: 《西游记》.
On the mainland, quotations go in curly quotation marks, “ and ”, with ‘ and ’ inside them; corner brackets are used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The ellipsis …… is six dots filling two squares, and the dash —— is also two squares long. Within a foreign name, a raised dot separates the parts: 玛丽·史密斯.
Numbers are written in digits where English would use them too: prices, clock times in notices, dates, telephone numbers. Small numbers in ordinary sentences, and numbers that are part of a word, are written in characters: 三个人, 星期一, 一起. English speakers typically put a space after a comma, use the ordinary comma in lists, and mark a title with italics or quotation marks instead of title marks.
The form
| full stop | 我是学生。 |
| comma between parts of a sentence | 我很忙，没时间。 |
| list comma between items | 苹果、香蕉、葡萄 |
| title marks | 《西游记》 |
| colon and quotation marks | 他说：“你好！” |
| digits or characters | 3点、三点 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Every mark takes a full square, and no space follows it.
我叫李华。你呢？My name is Li Hua. And you?
The list comma separates the items of a list; the ordinary comma separates the parts of a sentence.
我会说英语、法语和中文。I can speak English, French and Chinese.
A comma can join clauses that English would write as separate sentences.
今天下雨了，我不想出去，在家看书。It's raining today. I don't want to go out, so I'm reading at home.
Titles of books, films and newspapers go in title marks.
我在看《西游记》。I'm reading Journey to the West.
Prices, times, dates and phone numbers are usually written in digits; small numbers in a sentence and numbers inside words in characters.
这本书35块钱。This book costs 35 yuan.
A closer look
Commas that run on
A Chinese writer often lets one sentence run through several commas, each adding a step: what happened, what followed, what it meant. A full stop comes only when the whole thought is finished. Translated comma for comma into English, such a sentence becomes a run-on; split it into two or three sentences instead.
The reverse matters when writing Chinese. A string of short sentences, each with its own full stop, reads like a list of separate facts. Joining the ones that belong together with commas makes the text sound connected and natural.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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a question is only reported inside a statement, as in “I don’t know where he is”
the sentence ends with a full stop, not a question mark.
我不知道他在哪儿。I don't know where he is.
The question mark belongs to a sentence that asks. A sentence that only mentions a question is a statement, even though it contains a question word.
How to spot it
- 。
- ，
- 、
- 《》
- “”
Example sentences
你是哪国人？Where are you from?
桌子上有书、本子和笔。There are books, notebooks and pens on the table.
妈妈说：“快起床吧！”Mum said, “Get up, quick!”
这个电影叫《回家》。The film is called Going Home.
我早上7点起床。I get up at 7 in the morning.
我有两个妹妹。I have two younger sisters.
8 more example sentences
你喜欢喝茶吗？Do you like tea?
太好了！Great!
我家有五口人。There are five people in my family.
他买了面包、牛奶、鸡蛋。He bought bread, milk and eggs.
老师问我：“你明白了吗？”The teacher asked me, “Do you understand?”
这件衣服199块。This piece of clothing costs 199 yuan.
这本《汉语词典》很有用。This Chinese dictionary is very useful.
他想了想，说：“这个……”He thought for a moment and said, “Well …”
Worth knowing (1)
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One sentence in Chinese, two in English
The commas of a Chinese sentence often mark where English would start a new sentence. The example below is one sentence in Chinese and reads best as two in English.
我到了机场，飞机已经起飞了，只好等下一班。I got to the airport. The plane had already taken off, so I had to wait for the next one.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English separates the items of a list with commas, and the habit carries over. Chinese keeps the ordinary comma ， for the parts of a sentence and uses the list comma 、 between items. Before the last item, 和 does the job that “and” does in English.
Use the full-width marks, the list comma between items, and title marks for titles.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.