What is the "amount in words" on a cheque?
When you write a Hong Kong cheque, the amount appears twice: as digits in the box on the right (e.g. 12,345.60) and as words on the line. The words — Chinese financial capitals (大寫: 壹貳叄肆伍陸柒捌玖拾佰仟萬億) or English — exist to stop anyone altering the figure. Because the written form is hard to tamper with, banks treat it as the authoritative amount: if the digits and the words disagree, the words generally prevail.
How Chinese capitals (大寫) work
- Digits: 零壹貳叄肆伍陸柒捌玖. Units: 拾 (ten), 佰 (hundred), 仟 (thousand), 萬 (ten-thousand), 億 (hundred-million). So 12,345 → 壹萬貳仟叄佰肆拾伍.
- The 正 ending: a whole-dollar amount ends in 正 (or 整 on mainland instruments) to show there is no remainder, e.g. 壹萬元正.
- Cents: 角 is the first decimal place, 分 the second. 123.45 → 壹佰貳拾叄元肆角伍分.
- Internal zeros are spoken as 零, e.g. 10,025 → 壹萬零貳拾伍; consecutive zeros collapse to a single 零.
Writing the amount in English
English cheques spell the amount out and close with "Only" — the equivalent of the Chinese 正. For example 11.00 → "Eleven Dollars Only"; 1,234.50 → "One thousand two hundred and thirty-four Dollars and fifty Cents Only". The tool handles singular/plural (Dollar / Dollars, Cent / Cents) and the "and" after hundreds automatically.
Tips for filling in a cheque
- The words and digits must match; if they differ, the bank usually relies on the words and may ask for a new cheque.
- Write the words tightly and finish with 正 / Only so nothing can be appended; leave no gaps.
- An "Account Payee Only" crossed cheque can only be paid into the payee's account — safer than an open cheque.
- Amount corrections normally need every authorised signatory to initial the change; many banks prefer a fresh cheque.
How this tool works
Enter an amount in digits (commas and up to two decimal places are fine) and the tool instantly produces both the Chinese capitals and the English words, each copyable in one click. Everything runs in your browser in JavaScript — the amount is never uploaded or stored, so it is safe for sensitive figures. This is a writing aid only; the final amount is governed by your cheque and your bank's requirements.
FAQ
Do Hong Kong cheques need the amount in Chinese capitals?
A cheque carries the amount twice: digits in the box and the amount in words on the line. The words may be Chinese financial capitals (大寫) or English, depending on the cheque language and bank convention. Chinese cheques typically use 大寫 ending in 正; English cheques spell it out ending in 'Only'. Either way the words exist to stop the figure being altered.
Why does the English version end with 'Only'?
'Only' (the equivalent of the Chinese 正/整) marks the end of the amount so no extra words or figures can be appended. It is standard on formal cheques and receipts.
How are cents written?
In Chinese, 角 is the first decimal place and 分 the second — e.g. 123.45 becomes 壹佰貳拾叄元肆角伍分. In English the tool writes, for example, 'One hundred and twenty-three Dollars and forty-five Cents Only'.
Is the amount I type stored anywhere?
No. The whole conversion runs in your browser in JavaScript. The amount is never sent to a server and is not logged.