Definition
一二三 literally means 'one two three', but it's often used idiomatically to mean 'the very basics' or 'the ABCs' of a subject. You might also hear it as a countdown ('one, two, three, go!'). This entry's POS is listed as a measure word, which does not match the phrase's typical noun-like usage.
m
the basicsthe ABCscounting one-two-three (for a countdown or sequence)
Examples
- 一二三。Xué Zhōngwén yào cóng yī èr sān kāishǐ.Learning Chinese should start from the basics.
- 一二三，！yī èr sān, kāishǐ!One, two, three, go!
- 一二三。Lǎoshī jiāo wǒmen yī èr sān.The teacher taught us the ABCs.
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