'Yè mǎ' literally combines 'yè' (page) and 'mǎ' (code or number), meaning the numerical identifier assigned to each page in a book, document, or digital file. It is used exclusively to refer to the number printed or displayed at the top or bottom of a page — not the physical page itself, but its sequential label. You’ll see it on printed textbooks, PDFs, academic papers, and e-readers.

This term is formal and neutral, commonly used in publishing, education, and office settings. Unlike casual terms like '第几页' (which asks 'which page?'), 'yè mǎ' emphasizes the standardized, often automatically generated numbering system — for example, when citing sources ('see p. 42') or instructing someone to 'check the page numbers'. It never refers to non-sequential or decorative numbering, nor does it describe page content or layout.