Egyptian Words For Numbers
The following table shows the reconstructed Middle Egyptian forms of the numerals (which are indicated by a preceding asterisk), followed by the transliteration of the hieroglyphs used to write them, and finally the Coptic numerals which descended from them and which give Egyptologists clues as to the vocalism of the original Egyptian numbers. The majuscule letter "A" in some reconstructed forms means that the quality of that vowel remains uncertain:
| Egyptian Transliteration | English Translation | Coptic (Sahidic dialect) |
|---|---|---|
| *wiʻyaw ‹ wꜥ.w (masc.) *wiʻīyat ‹ wꜥ.t (fem.) |
one | oua (masc.) ouei (fem.) |
| *sínway ‹ sn.wy (masc.) *síntay ‹ sn.ty (fem.) |
two | snau (masc.) snte (fem.) |
| *ḫámtaw ‹ ḫmt.w (masc.) *ḫámtat ‹ ḫmt.t (fem.) |
three | šomnt (masc.) šomte (fem.) |
| *yAfdáw ‹ ỉfd.w (masc.) *yAfdát ‹ ỉfd.t (fem.) |
four | ftoou (masc.) ftoe (fem.) |
| *dīyaw ‹ dỉ.w (masc.) *dīyat ‹ dỉ.t (fem.) |
five | tiou (masc.) tie (fem.) |
| *yAssáw ‹ sỉs.w or ỉs.w (?) (masc.) *yAssát ‹ sỉs.t or ỉs.t (?) (fem.) |
six | soou (masc.) soe (fem.) |
| *sáfḫaw ‹ sfḫ.w (masc.) *sáfḫat ‹ sfḫt (fem.) |
seven | šašf(masc.) šašfe (fem.) |
| *ḫAmānaw ‹ ḫmnw (masc.) *ḫAmānat ‹ ḫmnt (fem.) |
eight | šmoun (masc.) šmoune (fem.) |
| *pAsīḏaw ‹ psḏw (masc.) *pAsīḏat ‹ psḏt (fem.) |
nine | psis (masc.) psite (fem.) |
| *mūḏaw ‹ mḏw (masc.) *mūḏat ‹ mḏt (fem.) |
ten | mēt (masc.) mēte (fem.) |
| *ḏubāʻatay ‹ ḏbꜥ.ty | twenty | jōt (masc.) jōti (fem.) |
| *máʻbAʼ ‹ mꜥbꜣ (masc.) *máʻbAʼat ‹ mꜥbꜣ.t (fem.) |
thirty | maab (masc.) maabe (fem.) |
| *ḥAmí (?) ‹ ḥm.w (masc.) | forty | xme |
| *díywu ‹ dy.w | fifty | taeiou |
| *yAssáwyu ‹ sỉsy.w or ỉswy.w (?) | sixty | se |
| *safḫáwyu ‹ sfḫy.w (masc.) | seventy | šfe |
| *ḫamanáwyu ‹ ḫmny.w (masc.) | eighty | xmene |
| *pAsiḏawyu ‹ psḏy.w (masc.) | ninety | pstaiou |
| *šáwat ‹ š.t | one hundred | še |
| *šūtay ‹ š.ty | two hundred | šēt |
| *ḫaʼ ‹ ḫꜣ | one thousand | šo |
| *ḏubaʻ ‹ ḏbꜣ |
ten thousand | tba |
| ‹ hfn | one hundred thousand | |
| *ḥaḥ ‹ ḥḥ | one million | xax "many" |
Read more about this topic: Egyptian Numerals
Famous quotes containing the words egyptian, words and/or numbers:
“...the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 1:19.
Egyptian midwives to Pharaoh.
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”
—Bible: New Testament St. Paul, in Philippians, 4:7.
The words are also used in the Book of Common Prayer, Holy Communion (1662)
“He bundles every forkful in its place,
And tags and numbers it for future reference,
So he can find and easily dislodge it
In the unloading. Silas does that well.
He takes it out in bunches like birds’ nests.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)