<p>In Cantonese it's more convenient to say <code>除</code>. But in standard Chinese, it's good practice to say <code>除以</code>, and it makes more sense too:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>16除以8 &lt;=&gt; (我)以8除16 = (I) divide 16 with 8</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Where <code>以8</code> is the phrase 'with 8' adverbial to <code>除</code> 'to divide'.</p>
<p>This also meets the subject + <code>除</code> + object construction in many parallel sentences:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他<strong>排除</strong>萬難 he <em>overcame</em> all the obstacles</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>新政府為民<strong>除</strong>害 the new government <em>rids</em> harm for the people</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T13:16:21.933Z
So to read this specific equation I would read "chu3yi3" for "÷". Understood; thanks.
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T10:18:39.180Z
2021-06-07T10:32:00.370Z
2021-06-07T10:32:00.370Z
L Parker
<p>You should read it as &quot;chúyǐ&quot;. &quot;除&quot; and &quot;除以&quot; have different meanings in mathematics.</p>
<p>16 除以 8 等于 2</p>
<p>16 除 8 等于 0.5</p>
<p>That means &quot;16 除以 8&quot; is equal to &quot;8 除 16&quot; and equal to &quot;16 ÷ 8 = 2&quot;</p>
<p>I am from China. When I was a student and learning maths, there were many error-prone questions using the different meanings of &quot;除&quot; and &quot;除以&quot; to trip up students.</p>
<p>If you are careful enough or you are taking some exam, please read &quot;除以&quot;. But reading it as &quot;除&quot; in daily life is also OK because many Chinese people also often make the same mistake in daily life.</p>
<hr />
<p>Difference between “除以” and “除” from Chinese <a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1546082880677961907/answer/2860506355.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Q&amp;A website</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一个数“除以”另一个数，则前数是被除数，后数是除数。<br />
一个数“除”另一个数，则前数是除数，后数是被除数。<br />
如“36÷6”读作“三十六除以六”，其意思也可说成“6除36”，它即是“用6去分36”</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>Complaints about “除以” and “除” from <a href="https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/61859388" rel="nofollow noreferrer">知乎</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>用a去除b，b用a除，以a除b，b被a除，b除以a，好玩吗？这是一种自我折腾，并非文化博大精深。</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-13T05:13:59.010Z
2022-04-06T08:00:20.257Z
2022-04-06T08:00:20.257Z
AimerNeige
<p>怎么读“÷”号在这个等式里？
《16÷8＝2》</p>
<p>须要读&quot;chú&quot;吗？或者，chúyǐ?</p>
<p>&quot;shíliù chú bā děngyú èr&quot;.</p>
<p>在现代汉语规范词典有这个定义：</p>
<blockquote>
<p>除法<br />
chúfǎ<br />
名 求一个数的若干分之一的运算方法。如16÷8＝2。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>How should &quot;÷&quot; be read aloud in the dictionary entry above?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T10:20:58.637Z
Just a very very minor point, 李 -> 裡/裏; and it's not quite idiomatic to use 朗讀 in Chinese for 'to read aloud'. Saying “÷”號該怎麼讀 is perfectly fine!
L Parker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-07T10:35:48.663Z
Oh, or “÷”號的**讀法**是什麼 'What is *the way of reading* the "÷" sign'
L Parker
<vocabulary>
怎么读“÷”号在这个等式里？how should "÷" be read aloud in this equation?
# 怎么读“÷”号在这个等式里？how should "÷" be read aloud in this equation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-07)

怎么读“÷”号在这个等式里？
《16÷8＝2》

须要读"chú"吗？或者，chúyǐ?

"shíliù chú bā děngyú èr".

在现代汉语规范词典有这个定义：

> 除法  
> chúfǎ  
> 名 求一个数的若干分之一的运算方法。如16÷8＝2。

How should "÷" be read aloud in the dictionary entry above?

**Tags:** vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just a very very minor point, 李 -> 裡/裏; and it's not quite idiomatic to use 朗讀 in Chinese for 'to read aloud'. Saying “÷”號該怎麼讀 is perfectly fine!  
> **username_1**: Oh, or “÷”號的**讀法**是什麼 'What is *the way of reading* the "÷" sign'  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-06-13. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

You should read it as "chúyǐ". "除" and "除以" have different meanings in mathematics.

16 除以 8 等于 2

16 除 8 等于 0.5

That means "16 除以 8" is equal to "8 除 16" and equal to "16 ÷ 8 = 2"

I am from China. When I was a student and learning maths, there were many error-prone questions using the different meanings of "除" and "除以" to trip up students.

If you are careful enough or you are taking some exam, please read "除以". But reading it as "除" in daily life is also OK because many Chinese people also often make the same mistake in daily life.

---

Difference between “除以” and “除” from Chinese [Q&A website](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1546082880677961907/answer/2860506355.html).

> 一个数“除以”另一个数，则前数是被除数，后数是除数。  
> 一个数“除”另一个数，则前数是除数，后数是被除数。  
> 如“36÷6”读作“三十六除以六”，其意思也可说成“6除36”，它即是“用6去分36”

---

Complaints about “除以” and “除” from [知乎](https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/61859388).

> 用a去除b，b用a除，以a除b，b被a除，b除以a，好玩吗？这是一种自我折腾，并非文化博大精深。

---


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-07. Score: 4

In Cantonese it's more convenient to say `除`. But in standard Chinese, it's good practice to say `除以`, and it makes more sense too:

> 16除以8 <=> (我)以8除16 = (I) divide 16 with 8

Where `以8` is the phrase 'with 8' adverbial to `除` 'to divide'.

This also meets the subject + `除` + object construction in many parallel sentences:

> 他**排除**萬難 he *overcame* all the obstacles

> 新政府為民**除**害 the new government *rids* harm for the people

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So to read this specific equation I would read "chu3yi3" for "÷". Understood; thanks.  

---

