gàishù biǎodá
Approximate numbers (概数表达)
Chinese has several ways to express approximate numbers: consecutive numbers (三四个), adding 多 after a round number (十多个), and using 左右 or 大概 (about 30, around 5 o'clock). These sound natural and avoid being overly precise.
核心例句
这家餐厅我去过三四次，每次都很好吃。
Zhè jiā cāntīng wǒ qùguò sān sì cì, měi cì dōu hěn hǎochī.
I've been to this restaurant 3-4 times; it's delicious every time.
HSK 2
HSK 2
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4 个结构
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10 个练习
课程摘要
Chinese has several ways to express approximate numbers: consecutive numbers (三四个), adding 多 after a round number (十多个), and using 左右 or 大概 (about 30, around 5 o'clock). These sound natural and avoid being overly precise.
**What it means:** 概数表达 covers all the ways Chinese expresses approximate or vague quantities. Unlike English 'about' which can go almost anywhere, Chinese uses specific structural rules depending on the method chosen.
**Four main methods:**
**Method 1 — Two consecutive numbers (两连数):** Place two adjacent numbers before the measure word: 三四个人 (3 or 4 people), 四五天 (4 or 5 days), 七八块 (7 or 8 yuan). The two numbers MUST differ by exactly 1. You cannot skip numbers — 三五个 is unnatural; use 三四个 or 四五个.
**Method 2 — Round number + 多:** Add 多 after a round number (十, 二十, 百, 千) to mean 'a bit more than': 十多岁 (10-something years old), 两百多人 (200-something people), 三十多块 (30-something yuan). CRITICAL RULE: 多 must come directly after the round number and BEFORE the measure word. Say 十多个, NEVER 十个多.
**Method 3 — Number + 左右:** Add 左右 after any number (and measure word) to mean 'around / approximately': 三十左右 (around 30), 五点左右 (around 5 o'clock). 左右 always goes at the very END, after the full number and measure word.
**Method 4 — 大概 / 差不多 + number:** Use 大概 or 差不多 as adverbs before the number: 大概十分钟 (about 10 minutes), 差不多一百块 (almost 100 yuan). These are the most flexible — they can also modify whole sentences.
**When NOT to use:** Do not mix methods in the same expression. 大概十多个左右 stacks three approximators — this is redundant and unnatural. Choose exactly one method per expression.
**Common learner mistakes:** 1. Wrong position of 多: 三多个 → correct: 三十多个. 多 attaches to the ROUND number, not after a small number. 2. Non-adjacent consecutive numbers: 一三个 → only adjacent numbers like 一二, 两三, 三四. 3. 左右 before the number: 左右三十 → must be: 三十左右. 4. Mixing 大概 and 左右: 大概五分钟左右 → choose one: 大概五分钟 or 五分钟左右. 5. 多 after a non-round number: 十五多个 → use 十五个左右 or 十多个 instead.
**Comparing 左右 and 大概:** 左右 attaches to the end of a number phrase (三十左右); 大概 precedes the number (大概三十). For larger numbers, 多 and 左右 are most common; for time and prices, all four methods work naturally.
语法句型
Two consecutive numbers + measure word/noun
Express a range of two adjacent numbers to indicate vagueness. The two numbers must be consecutive (differ by 1).
我家有三四个人。
Wǒ jiā yǒu sān sì ge rén.
There are three or four people in my family.
他学中文才两三个月，说得很好。
Tā xué Zhōngwén cái liǎng sān ge yuè, shuō de hěn hǎo.
He has only studied Chinese for two or three months but speaks very well.
我昨天喝了七八杯水。
Wǒ zuótiān hē le qī bā bēi shuǐ.
I drank seven or eight glasses of water yesterday.
语法句型
Round number + 多 + measure word/noun
Express a quantity slightly more than a round number. 多 must come AFTER the round number and BEFORE the measure word. Common round numbers: 十, 二十, 百, 千.
我们班有二十多个学生。
Wǒmen bān yǒu èrshí duō ge xuésheng.
Our class has more than twenty students.
他已经三十多岁了，还没结婚。
Tā yǐjīng sānshí duō suì le, hái méi jiéhūn.
He is already in his thirties and still not married.
这本书两百多块钱。
Zhè běn shū liǎng bǎi duō kuài qián.
This book costs more than 200 yuan.
语法句型
Number (+ measure word) + 左右
Express 'around / approximately' a number. 左右 always comes at the end, after the number and measure word. It works with any number, not just round numbers.
他今年三十左右。
Tā jīnnián sānshí zuǒyòu.
He is around thirty years old this year.
从这里到学校走路要二十分钟左右。
Cóng zhèlǐ dào xuéxiào zǒulù yào èrshí fēnzhōng zuǒyòu.
It takes around twenty minutes to walk from here to school.
我们五点左右到，你不用担心。
Wǒmen wǔ diǎn zuǒyòu dào, nǐ bú yòng dānxīn.
We will arrive around five o'clock, don't worry.
语法句型
大概 / 差不多 + number + measure word/noun
Use 大概 (approximately, probably) or 差不多 (almost, nearly) as adverbs before the number. These are the most flexible method — they can modify whole sentences, not just numbers.
大概八点，我们出发吧。
Dàgài bā diǎn, wǒmen chūfā ba.
Let's set off around eight o'clock.
这件衣服差不多一百块。
Zhè jiàn yīfu chàbuduō yī bǎi kuài.
This piece of clothing costs almost 100 yuan.
大概再过五分钟，他就来了。
Dàgài zài guò wǔ fēnzhōng, tā jiù lái le.
He will be here in about five more minutes.
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