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The Indian numbering system is used in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh to express large numbers, which differs from the International System of Units. Commonly used quantities include lakh (one hundred thousand, 105) and crore (ten million, 107) – written as 1,00,000 and 1,00,00,000 respectively in some locales.[1] For example: 150,000 rupees is "1.5 lakh rupees" which can be written as "1,50,000 rupees", and 30,000,000 (thirty million) rupees is referred to as "3 crore rupees" which can be written as "3,00,00,000 rupees".
There are names for numbers larger than crore, but they are less commonly used. These include arab (100 crore, 109), kharab (100 arab, 1011), nil or sometimes transliterated as neel (100 kharab, 1013), padma (100 nil, 1015), shankh (100 padma, 1017), and mahashankh (100 shankh, 1019). In common parlance (though inconsistent), the lakh and crore terminology repeats for larger numbers. Thus lakh crore is 1012.
In the ancient Indian system, still in use in regional languages of India, there are words for[clarification needed] (1062). These names respectively starting at 1000 are sahasra, ayuta, laksha, niyuta, koti, arbhudha, abhja, karva, nikarva, mahapadma, shanmkhu, jaladhi, amtya, madhya, paraardha. In the Indian system, now prevalent in the northern parts,[clarification needed] the next powers of ten are one lakh, ten lakh, one crore, ten crore, one arab (or one hundred crore), and so on.
Multiples[edit | edit source]
The Indian system is decimal (base-10), same as in the International System of Units, and the first five orders of magnitude are named in a similar way: one (100), ten (101), one hundred (102), one thousand (103), and ten thousand (104). For higher powers of ten, naming diverges. The Indian system uses names for every second power of ten: lakh (105), crore (107), arab (109), kharab (1011), etc. In the long and short scales, there are names for every third power of ten. The short scale uses million (106), billion (109), trillion (1012), etc.
Decimal formatting[edit | edit source]
The Indian system groups digits of a large decimal is represented differently than the International System of Units. The Indian system does group the first three digits to the left of the decimal point, but thereafter, groups by two digits to align with the naming of quantities at multiples of 100.[2]
| Indian | International |
|---|---|
| 5,00,000 | 500,000 |
| 12,34,56,789 | 123,456,789 |
| 17,00,00,00,000 | 17,000,000,000 |
| 6,78,90,00,00,00,00,000 | 6,789,000,000,000,000 |
Like English and other locales, the Indian system uses a period as the decimal separator and the comma for grouping, while others use a comma for decimal separator and a thin space or point to group digits.[3]
Pronunciation in English[edit | edit source]
When speakers of indigenous Indian languages are speaking English, the pronunciations may be closer to their mother tongue (e.g. "lakh" and "crore" might be pronounced /lɑkʰ/, /kɑrɔːr/, respectively).
- lakh /lɑːkʰ/
- crore /kɹɔːɹ/ (or /kɹoʊɹ/ in American English)
- arab /ʌˈɾʌb/
- kharab /kʰʌˈɾʌb/
Names of numbers[edit | edit source]
The table below includes the spelling and pronunciation of numbers in various Indian languages along with corresponding short scale names.
| Value | Numerals | Short scale | Indian English | Hindustani Hindi / Urdu |
Marathi | Bengali | Nepali | Tamil | Telugu | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | one | one | एक / ایک (Template:Translit) |
एक (Template:Translit) |
এক (Template:Translit) |
एक (Template:Translit) |
ஒன்று (Template:Translit) |
ఒకటి (Template:Translit) | |
| 10 | 10 | ten | ten | दस / دس (Template:Translit) |
दहा (Template:Translit) |
দশ (Template:Translit) |
दश (Template:Translit) |
பத்து (Template:Translit) |
పది (Template:Translit) | |
| 102 | 100 | hundred | hundred | सौ / سو (Template:Translit) |
शंभर (Template:Translit) |
শত (Template:Translit) |
सय (Template:Translit) |
நூறு (Template:Translit) |
వంద/నూరు (Template:Translit) | |
| 103 | 1,000 | thousand | thousand | हज़ार / ہزار (Template:Translit) |
एक हजार (Template:Translit) |
হাজার (Template:Translit) |
एक हजार (Template:Translit) |
ஆயிரம் (Template:Translit) |
వెయ్యి (Template:Translit) | |
| 104 | 10,000 | ten thousand | ten thousand | दस हज़ार / دس ہزار (Template:Translit) |
दहा हजार (Template:Translit) |
অযুত (Template:Translit) |
দশ হাজার (Template:Translit) |
दश हजार (Template:Translit) |
பத்தாயிரம் (Template:Translit) ஆயுதம் (Template:Translit) |
పది వేలు (Template:Translit) |
| 105 | 1,00,000 | hundred thousand | lakh | लाख / لاکھ (Template:Translit) |
एक लाख (Template:Translit) |
লক্ষ (Template:Translit) |
লাখ (Template:Translit) |
एक लाख (Template:Translit) |
இலட்சம் (Template:Translit) நியுதம் (Template:Translit) |
లక్ష (Template:Translit) |
| 106 | 10,00,000 | million | ten lakh | दस लाख / دس لاکھ (Template:Translit) |
दहा लाख (Template:Translit) |
নিযুত (Template:Translit) |
দশ লাখ (Template:Translit) |
दश लाख (Template:Translit) |
பத்து இலட்சம் (Template:Translit) |
పది లక్షలు (Template:Translit) |
| 107 | 1,00,00,000 | ten million | crore | करोड़ / کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
एक कोटी (Template:Translit) |
কোটি (Template:Translit) |
एक करोड (Template:Translit) |
கோடி (Template:Translit) |
కోటి (Template:Translit) | |
| 108 | 10,00,00,000 | hundred million | ten crore | दस करोड़ / دس کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
दहा कोटी (Template:Translit) |
অর্বুদ (Template:Translit) |
দশ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
दश करोड (Template:Translit) |
அற்புதம் (Template:Translit) |
పది కోట్లు (Template:Translit) |
| 109 | 1,00,00,00,000 | billion | arab / hundred crore | अरब / ارب (Template:Translit) सौ करोड़ / سو کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
एक अब्ज (Template:Translit) |
মহার্বুদ (Template:Translit) |
একশ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
एक अर्ब (Template:Translit) |
நிகற்புதம் (Template:Translit) |
వంద కోట్లు (Template:Translit) |
| 1010 | 10,00,00,00,000 | ten billion | ten arab / thousand crore | दस अरब / دس ارب (Template:Translit) एक हज़ार करोड़ / ایک ہزار کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
एक खर्व (Template:Translit) |
খর্ব (Template:Translit) |
হাজার কোটি (Template:Translit) |
दश अर्ब (Template:Translit) |
கும்பம் (Template:Translit) |
వెయ్యి కోట్లు (Template:Translit) |
| 1011 | 1,00,00,00,00,000 | hundred billion | kharab / hundred arab / ten thousand crore | खरब / کھرب (Template:Translit) |
एक निखर्व (Template:Translit) |
মহাখর্ব (Template:Translit) দশ হাজার কোটি (Template:Translit) |
एक खर्ब (Template:Translit) |
கணம் (Template:Translit) |
పది వేల కోట్లు (Template:Translit) | |
| 1012 | 10,00,00,00,00,000 | trillion | ten kharab / one thousand arab / one lakh crore | दस खरब / دس کھرب (Template:Translit) एक लाख करोड़ / ایک لاکھ کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
एक पद्म (Template:Translit) |
শঙ্খ (Template:Translit) লাখ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
दश खर्ब (Template:Translit) |
கற்பம் (Template:Translit) |
లక్ష కోట్లు (Template:Translit) | |
| 1013 | 1,00,00,00,00,00,000 | ten trillion | nil / hundred kharab / ten thousand arab / ten lakh crore | नील / نیل (Template:Translit) |
एक महापद्म (ek mahāpadma) |
মহাশঙ্খ (Template:Translit) দশ লাখ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
नील (Template:Translit) |
நிகற்பம் (Template:Translit) |
పది లక్షల కోట్లు (Template:Translit) | |
| 1014 | 10,00,00,00,00,00,000 | hundred trillion | ten nil / crore crore | दस नील / دس نیل (Template:Translit) एक करोड़ करोड़ / ایک کروڑ کروڑ (Template:Translit) |
एक शंखू (Template:Translit) |
পদ্ম (Template:Translit) একশ লাখ কোটি (Template:Translit) শতলক্ষ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
दश नील (Template:Translit) |
பதுமம் (Template:Translit) |
కోటి కోట్లు (Template:Translit) | |
| 1015 | 1,00,00,00,00,00,00,000 | quadrillion | padma / hundred nil / ten crore crore | पद्म / پدم (Template:Translit) |
एक जलधि शंखू (eka jaladhi śaṅkhū) |
মহাপদ্ম (Template:Translit) হাজার লাখ কোটি (Template:Translit) |
पद्म (Template:Translit) |
சங்கம் (Template:Translit) |
పది కోట్ల కోట్లు (Template:Translit) | |
Historic numbering systems[edit | edit source]
Numbering systems in Hindu epics[edit | edit source]
There are various systems of numeration found in various ancient epic literature of India (itihasas). The following table gives one such system used in the Valmiki Ramayana.[4]
| Name | Indian decimal | Value | Short scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| एक (Template:Translit) | 1 | 1 | one |
| दश (Template:Translit) | 10 | 10 | ten |
| शत (Template:Translit) | 100 | 102 | hundred |
| सहस्र (Template:Translit) | 1,000 | 103 | thousand |
| लक्ष (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 | 105 | hundred thousand |
| कोटि (Template:Translit) |
1,00,00,000 | 107 | ten million |
| शङ्कु (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1012 | trillion |
| महाशङ्कु (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1017 | hundred quadrillion |
| वृन्द (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1022 | ten sextillion |
| महावृन्द (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1027 | octillion |
| पद्म (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1032 | hundred nonillion |
| महापद्म (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1037 | ten undecillion |
| खर्व (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1042 | tredecillion |
| महाखर्व (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1047 | hundred quattuordecillion |
| समुद्र (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1052 | ten sexdecillion |
| ओघ (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1057 | octodecillion |
| महौघ (Template:Translit) | 1,00,000 Template:Translit | 1062 | hundred novemdecillion |
Other numbering systems[edit | edit source]
The denominations by which land was measured in the Kumaon Kingdom were based on arable lands and thus followed an approximate system with local variations. The most common of these was a vigesimal (base-20) numbering system with the main denomination called a bisi (see Hindustani number bīs), which corresponded to the land required to sow 20 nalis of seed. Consequently, its actual land measure varied based on the quality of the soil.[5] This system became the established norm in Kumaon by 1891.[6]
Usage in different languages[edit | edit source]
Below is a list of translations for the words lakh and crore in other languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent:
| Language | Lakh | Crore | 100 crores (a billion) | 1000 crores (10 billion) | 10,000 crores (100 billion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assamese | লক্ষ lokhyo, or লাখ lakh | কৌটি kouti, or কোটি koti | N/A | ||
| Bengali | লাখ lākh[lower-alpha 1], or লক্ষ lokkho[lower-alpha 2] | কোটি kōṭi | |||
| Burmese | lakh[lower-alpha 3] | ကုဋေ my | |||
| Dhivehi | ލައްކަ la'kha | ކްރޯރް kroaru | |||
| Gujarati | લાખ lākh | કરોડ karoḍ | અબજ abaj | N/A | |
| Hindi | लाख lākh | करोड karoḍ | अरब arab | ||
| Kannada | ಲಕ್ಷ lakṣha | ಕೋಟಿ kōṭi | N/A | ||
| Khasi | lak | klur or krur | arab | N/A | kharab |
| Malayalam | ലക്ഷം laksham | കോടി kodi | N/A | ||
| Marathi | लाख/लक्ष lākh | कोटी koṭi, or करोड karoḍ | अब्ज abja | N/A | |
| Nepali | लाख lākh | करोड karoḍ | N/A | ||
| Odia | ଲକ୍ଷ lôkhyô | କୋଟି koṭi | |||
| Punjabi | lakkh (Gurmukhi: ਲੱਖ, Shahmukhi: لکھ) | karoṛ (Gurmukhi: ਕਰੋੜ, Shahmukhi: کروڑ) | |||
| Rohingya | lák | kurul | N/A | kuthí | N/A |
| Sinhala | ලක්ෂ Template:Translit | කෝටි Template:Translit | N/A | ||
| Tamil | இலட்சம் ilaṭcam | கோடி kōṭi | |||
| Telugu | లక్ష lakṣha | కోటి kōṭi | |||
| Urdu | لاکھ lākh | کروڑ karoṛ | ارب arab | N/A | کھرب kharab |
| Swahili | laki | N/A | |||
Formal written publications in English in India tend to use lakh/crore for Indian currency and International numbering for foreign currencies.[7]
Current usage[edit | edit source]
The official usage of this system is limited to the nations of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is universally employed within these countries, and is preferred to the International numbering system.[8]
Sri Lanka and Nepal used this system in the past but has switched to the International numbering system in recent years. In the Maldives, the term lakh is widely used in official documents and local speech. However, the International System of Units is preferred for higher denominations (such as millions).[citation needed]
Most institutions and citizens in India use the Indian number system. The Reserve Bank of India was noted as a rare exception in 2015,[9] whereas by 2024 the Indian system was used for amounts in rupees and the International system for foreign currencies throughout the Reserve Bank's website.[10]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- Notes
- ↑ Tadbhava
- ↑ Ardha-tatsama
- ↑ in Burmese English
- References
- ↑ "Knowing our Numbers". Department Of School Education And Literacy. National Repository of Open Educational Resources. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ↑ Emmons, John (25 March 2018). "UNICODE LOCALE DATA MARKUP LANGUAGE (LDML) PART 3: NUMBERS". Unicode.org. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ↑ "Decimal and Thousands Separators (International Language Environments Guide)". docs.oracle.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda, Chapter (Sarga) 28,(Verses 33 – 38)". Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ↑ Traill, G.W. (1828). Batten, J.H. (ed.). Statistical Sketch of Kamaon. John Murray. p. 34.
- ↑ "North Indian Notes and Queries". Google Books. 1–3. Pioneer Press: 216. 1891.
- ↑ Shapiro, Richard (16 August 2012). "The most distinctive counting system in English? Indian cardinal numbers". Oxford English Dictionary. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020. Shapiro is/was an OED employee. The article states: "The opinions and other information contained in the OED blog posts and comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Oxford University Press."
- ↑ Krulwich, Robert; Block, Ezra (21 October 2010). "Hey! Who Can Explain What India Does With Its Commas? (Not Commies. Commas.)". NPR. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ↑ Gurpur (10 August 2015). "Can we follow Indian numbering system for simplicity and good order?". Moneylife News & Views. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ↑ Reserve Bank of India, old and new website (known on archive.org since 5 Apr 2024). Retrieved 16 Apr 2024.