统计

Use it as a verb when you need to collect information. You can say 统计人数 to count the number of people. It also works as a noun. In a business report, the charts and graphs are your 统计数据. It is very flexible. You can use it for simple tasks like counting coffee orders. You can also use it for complex things like national census data. It sounds organized and efficient.

Use this when you want to sound precise. It is perfect for the office when your boss asks for sales figures. It is great for group chats when you need to know who wants spicy food. Use it whenever there is a 'total' involved. It makes you sound like someone who has their life together. Even if you are just counting how many socks you lost in the laundry.

Don't use 统计 for simple 1+1 math. That is just 算. Don't use it for 'counting' in a sequence like 1, 2, 3. That is 数. If you are just guessing a number, use 估计. 统计 implies you actually looked at the data. It is too heavy for a quick guess. Avoid using it in highly romantic or poetic settings. Telling your partner you 'statistically' love them might result in a very lonely dinner.

In modern China, data is king. From the 'Big Data' craze to the obsession with efficiency, 统计 is everywhere. You will see it in news reports about the economy. You will also see it in the 'WeChat' group tools used to organize community events. It reflects a culture that values concrete results and collective organization. It is the language of the digital age.

统计学 is the academic field of Statistics. 统计员 is a person whose job is to count things. You might also hear 统计表, which is a spreadsheet or table. If someone says 据统计, they are saying 'according to statistics.' This is a classic way to start a sentence when you want to sound like an expert.