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how many; several

Usage note

”用来问数量,特别是小于十的数字。也可以表示不确定的个。

“jǐ” yòng lái wèn shùliàng, tèbié shì xiǎoyú shí de shùzì. Yě kěyǐ biǎoshì bù quèdìng de jǐ gè.

“几” is used to ask about numbers, especially those smaller than ten. It can also mean an indefinite small number.

Context note

当我们想知道东西的数量,或者数量不多时,可以用“”来问或说。

Dāng wǒmen xiǎng zhīdào dōngxi de shùliàng, huòzhě shùliàng bù duō shí, kěyǐ yòng “jǐ” lái wèn huò shuō.

Use 几 to ask about a small number of things, or to say there are several of something.

5 examples

我有本书?
Wǒ yǒu jǐ běn shū?
How many books do I have?
你有个朋友?
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè péngyǒu?
How many friends do you have?
这里有只猫?
Zhèlǐ yǒu jǐ zhī māo?
How many cats are there here?
他有个玩具?
Tā yǒu jǐ gè wánwù?
How many toys does he have?
我们班上有人?
Wǒmen bān shàng yǒu jǐ rén?
How many people are in our class?

5 mini stories

桌子上有本书?有三本书。
Zhuōzi shàng yǒu jǐ běn shū? Yǒu sān běn shū.
How many books are on the table? There are three books.
你有个好朋友?我有五个好朋友。
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè hǎo péngyou? Wǒ yǒu wǔ gè hǎo péngyou.
How many good friends do you have? I have five good friends.
妈妈买了个苹果?她买了六个苹果。
Māma mǎi le jǐ gè píngguǒ? Tā mǎi le liù gè píngguǒ.
How many apples did mom buy? She bought six apples.
教室里还有个同学?还有四个同学在画画。
Jiàoshì lǐ hái yǒu jǐ gè tóngxué? Hái yǒu sì gè tóngxué zài huà huà.
How many classmates are still in the classroom? There are still four classmates drawing.
树上有只小鸟?我看到两只小鸟在唱歌。
Shù shàng yǒu jǐ zhī xiǎo niǎo? Wǒ kàn dào liǎng zhī xiǎo niǎo zài chànggē.
How many little birds are in the tree? I see two little birds singing.

Mini dialogue

几个人

A
你家有个人?
Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ ge rén?
How many people are in your family?
B
我家有三个人。
Wǒ jiā yǒu sān ge rén.
There are three people in my family.

几本书

A
你有本书?
Nǐ yǒu jǐ běn shū?
How many books do you have?
B
我有本故事书。
Wǒ yǒu jǐ běn gùshi shū.
I have several storybooks.

Related words and contrasts

similar
多少
duōshǎo
how many; how much

多少 also asks how many or how much, often for numbers expected to be over ten.

related
几个
jǐ gè
a few; several

几个 uses 几 to mean a few or several when talking about countable things.

related
几岁
jǐ suì
how old (for children)

几岁 is the common way to ask a young child's age.

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