A Corpus-Based Study on the Semantic Functions of Large Numerals in Mandarin-Speaking Children

The usage of large numerals in child language reflects not only cognitive development, but also sociocultural influences. To investigate this phenomenon, we analyze the semantic functions of large numerals “hundred”, “thousand”, and “ten-thousand” in Mandarin-speaking children by comparing them with adult data based on a self-constructed corpus. Our results showed that both groups predominantly use large numerals for non-cardinal functions, particularly for expressing abstract concepts and culture-specific meanings rather than for exact numerical quantification.Notably however, while adults tend to utilize large numbers primarily for metaphorical or rhetorical purposes, children demonstrate stronger preference for employing large numerals in counting routines and symbolic representations. These findings illuminate the multifaceted semantic properties of large numerical expressions in Mandarin Chinese.

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