千万
How to Understand
千万 is an emphatic expression used to stress the importance of something, often translated as 'by all means' or 'make sure to.' It conveys a strong recommendation or warning, typically used in imperative contexts.
The character 千 (qiān) means 'a thousand,' and 万 (wàn) means 'ten thousand.' Together, they form a metaphorical expression meaning 'a thousand ten-thousands,' symbolizing an extremely large number. This phrase is not meant to be taken literally but rather as a way to emphasize urgency or importance.
千万 is commonly used in spoken Chinese to reinforce advice or warnings, such as '千万注意安全' (by all means pay attention to safety). It is an essential expression for learners to understand when engaging in everyday conversations or formal instructions.