Usage note
“多少”用来问数量或价钱，后面可以加量词和名词。
“duōshǎo” yòng lái wèn shùliàng huò jiàqián, hòumiàn kěyǐ jiā liàngcí hé míngcí.
Use “多少” to ask about an amount or a price. It can be followed by a measure word and a noun.
Context note
当我们想知道东西的数量或价格时，可以用“多少”来提问。它属于数字话题。
Dāng wǒmen xiǎng zhīdào dōngxi de shùliàng huò jiàgé shí, kěyǐ yòng “duōshǎo” lái tíwèn. Tā shǔyú shùzì huàtí.
This word is used to ask about the amount or price of something. It belongs to the topic of numbers.
5 examples
多少钱？
duō shǎo qián?
How much money?
有多少苹果？
yǒu duō shǎo píng guǒ?
How many apples are there?
多少水？
duō shǎo shuǐ?
How much water?
你有多少本书？
nǐ yǒu duō shǎo běn shū?
How many books do you have?
多少人来参加聚会？
duō shǎo rén lái jiā cāng?
How many people came to the party?
5 mini stories
妈妈问儿子：你有多少个玩具汽车？
mā ma wèn zǐ ér ： nǐ yǒu duō shǎo gè yóu wán qì chē ?
Mom asked her son: How many toy cars do you have?
爸爸问女儿：你们班有多少人？
bà ba wèn nǚ ér ： nǐ men bān yǒu duō shǎo rén ?
Dad asked his daughter: How many people are in your class?
老师问学生：你们一共多少人？
lǎo shī wèn xué shēng ： nǐ men yī gòng duō shǎo rén ?
The teacher asked the students: How many people are there in total?
小明问妈妈：超市里有多少种水果？
xiǎo míng wèn mā ma ： chāo shì lǐ yǒu duō shǎo zhǒng shuǐ guǒ ?
Xiaoming asked his mom: How many kinds of fruits are there in the supermarket?
姐姐问弟弟：你有多少张邮票？
jiě jié wèn dì di ： nǐ yǒu duō shǎo zhāng yóu piào ?
The older sister asked her younger brother: How many stamps do you have?
Mini dialogue
问价格
A
这个苹果多少钱？
Zhège píngguǒ duōshǎo qián?
How much is this apple?
B
这个苹果五块钱。
Zhège píngguǒ wǔ kuài qián.
This apple is five yuan.
问数量
A
你有多少本中文书？
Nǐ yǒu duōshǎo běn Zhōngwén shū?
How many Chinese books do you have?
B
我有三本中文书。
Wǒ yǒu sān běn Zhōngwén shū.
I have three Chinese books.
Related words and contrasts
similar
几
jǐ
how many (for small numbers, usually under 10)
几 is used for smaller expected numbers, 多少 can be used for any number.