Eastern Arabic numerals are the digits ٠ to ٩, used with Arabic script in the eastern Arab world. They work exactly like 0 to 9, with the same place value. Numbers are written with the largest digit on the left, even inside right-to-left text.
What Are the Ten Digits?
Each Eastern Arabic digit stands for the same value as its Western partner. Only the shapes differ.
| Value | Eastern Arabic | Persian and Urdu | Arabic name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ٠ | ۰ | sifr |
| 1 | ١ | ۱ | wahid |
| 2 | ٢ | ۲ | ithnan |
| 3 | ٣ | ۳ | thalatha |
| 4 | ٤ | ۴ | arba’a |
| 5 | ٥ | ۵ | khamsa |
| 6 | ٦ | ۶ | sitta |
| 7 | ٧ | ۷ | sab’a |
| 8 | ٨ | ۸ | thamaniya |
| 9 | ٩ | ۹ | tis’a |
How Do You Read Eastern Arabic Numbers?
Read the digits from left to right, just as in English. The number ١٤٤٦ is 1446, with the thousands digit on the left.
This surprises many learners, because Arabic words run right to left. Numbers keep the left-to-right order inside the sentence.
A few digits look like other symbols, and they cause most reading mistakes. Zero is a small dot, and five looks like a Western zero.
How Do Persian and Urdu Digits Differ?
Persian and Urdu use a second set of digits. Four, five and six have different shapes: ۴, ۵ and ۶ instead of ٤, ٥ and ٦.
The Persian set has its own codes in Unicode, even where a digit looks the same. Urdu digits share the Persian codes, and fonts give them their Urdu shapes.
Where Are Eastern Arabic Numerals Used Today?
Iran and Afghanistan use Eastern digits most. Egypt, Sudan and the Arabic-speaking countries of Asia use both sets, often side by side.
Saudi Arabia increasingly favors Western digits, and the UAE uses both. In Pakistan, Western digits lead online, while Urdu newspapers and signs still use Eastern ones.
The Maghreb, in North Africa, uses Western digits only. The digits used worldwide grew from that western branch, as the guide to where Arabic numerals come from explains.
How Are Decimals, Thousands and Fractions Written?
- The decimal mark is ٫ or a comma, as in ٣٫١٤ for 3.14.
- Thousands can be split with ٬ or an Arabic comma, as in ١٬٠٠٠ for 1,000.
- In Arabic, a minus sign is written to the right of the number. In Persian, it goes on the left.
- A fraction puts the top number on the left of the slash, as in ٢/٧ for two sevenths.
How Do You Type Eastern Arabic Digits?
Arabic keyboard layouts include the digits on the number row. Phones show them on the Arabic keyboard, usually behind the numbers key.
In Unicode, the Arabic set runs from U+0660 to U+0669. The Persian set runs from U+06F0 to U+06F9. Most fonts that support Arabic include both.
Are Eastern Arabic Digits the Same as Abjad Numerals?
No. Abjad numerals use letters, not digits, and they add values instead of using place value. Twelve is ١٢ in digits but يب in abjad letters, which is 10 + 2.
The number to abjad numerals converter shows any number both ways. The numbers in Arabic script overview compares every system.
Sources and Further Reading
- Eastern Arabic numerals, Wikipedia. Shapes, separators, Unicode and use by country.
- Arabic code chart, Unicode Consortium. The digit code points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they called Hindi numbers in Arabic?
Arabic speakers learned the system from India, so they call the digits arqam hindiyya, meaning Indian numbers.
Is ٠ a zero or a dot?
It is zero. Eastern Arabic writes zero as a small dot or diamond, so read it with care.
Do Arabic speakers say numbers in digit order?
Not always. In spoken Arabic, the units often come before the tens, so 25 is said as five and twenty.
Can I mix Eastern and Western digits?
Avoid it inside one number. Pick one set for a document and use it throughout.
Do Eastern digits have Abjad values?
No. Only letters have Abjad values. Digits are read as ordinary numbers.