倒数

倒數

dàoshǔ

verb HSK 7-9 #4,209

Meanings

1 to count backwards; to count down
2 inverse number; reciprocal (math)

Characters

reversed; inverted

Literally 'count in reverse.'

Examples

大家一起倒数：三、二、一！

Dàjiā yìqǐ dàoshǔ: sān, èr, yī!

Everyone count down together: three, two, one!

他的成绩倒数第一。

Tā de chéngjì dàoshǔ dìyī.

His grades rank last (first from the bottom).

Tips

usage

倒数第一 (dàoshǔ dì-yī) means 'last place' — literally 'first counting from the bottom.' Chinese students dread hearing 倒数第一 on test results. It's a much more vivid (and slightly more humiliating) way of saying 'last' than just 最后.

Stroke Order

倒 dǎo

数 shù