A low, small table or stool.
How many, a few, several; almost, nearly. A flat tabletop on two legs—count the few items resting on it.
几
Common Usage & Traps
- 几点 — what time
- 几个 — how many, or 'a few' (of something)
- 几岁 — how old (asked of a child)
- 几天 — how many days
- 几月几号 — what date (which month, which day)
- 几块钱 — how many yuan, a few bucks
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几多多少几多 is Cantonese-flavored and sounds odd in Mandarin. For 'how many' with a big or unknown number, say 多少 (duōshao).
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几钱多少钱几钱 is not how Mandarin asks a price. Say 多少钱 (duōshao qián) — 'how much money'.
If I want to ask 'how many people?
Both work, but 几 hints 'a handful' (under ten) while 多少 stays open.
Treat 几 as 'how many — just a few?' and 多少 as 'how many — could be anything?'. At your own dinner table, 几个人 fits because you already expect three or four people. Ask about a packed lecture hall and 多少人 is the right call, since the answer might be 200. One more rule: 几 always drags a measure word behind it, like 几个人 or 几本书. 多少 can often skip it — 多少人 sounds normal, though 多少本书 beats 多少书.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Small expected number | 几个人？(how many at your table) | 多少人？(sounds like you expect a crowd) |
| Big or unknown number | 多少人？(how many in the stadium) | 几个人？(sounds like a tiny group) |
| With a measure word | 几本书 (how many books) | 多少书 (sounds clipped) |
Can I ask my 30-year-old coworker 你几岁?
No — 几岁 is for little kids. For adults, say 多大 or 多大年纪.
几岁 carries a 'cute little kid' vibe, so asking a grown coworker 你几岁 lands like patting them on the head. For teens and adults, switch to 你多大？(nǐ duō dà), or 您多大年纪？(nín duō dà niánjì) when you want to be polite. Keep 几岁 for children, roughly under ten.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Asking a child | 你几岁了？(how old are you, kiddo?) | 你多大了？(fine, just less cute) |
| Asking an adult | 你多大？(how old are you?) | 你几岁？(sounds like you're talking to a toddler) |
| Polite to a senior | 您多大年纪？(may I ask your age?) | 您几岁？(rude and strange) |
Does 几 always mean 'how many'?
No — in a statement, 几 means 'a few', not 'how many'.
Inside a question, 几 asks 'how many': 你有几个朋友？. Strip the question and the same word turns into 'several': 我有几个朋友 means 'I have a few friends'. The character never changes — context and tone do all the work. Native speakers reach for 几 when the number is small and casual, usually under ten.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| As a question | 你有几个朋友？(how many friends do you have?) | 你有多少朋友？(works, but sounds open-ended) |
| As a plain statement | 我有几个朋友 (I have a few friends) | 我有多少朋友 (now it's a question, oddly) |
| Rough size | 几个 (a few, under ten) | 十几个 (past ten, so 几 no longer fits) |
Why does 几月几号 use 几 twice?
Chinese dates run big to small: month first, then day — so 几月几号 asks both.
Chinese dates run big to small: 月 (month) before 号 (day). So asking 'which month, which day?' simply glues two questions together: 几月 + 几号. Say 五月五号 for May fifth; flipping it to 五号五月 sounds backwards. When you only need the day, 几号 works on its own.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Asking the full date | 几月几号？(what date?) | 几号几月？(backwards) |
| Answering | 五月五号 (May fifth) | 五号五月 (day before month) |
| Just the day | 几号？(what day of the month?) | 几月？(only asks the month) |
Appears in Stories 10 stories
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
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可是，根据 前几年 的有关数据，中国方便面的年人平均消费量是三十五份，远不如日本，甚至还不到韩国的一半。
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近年来，中国关于方便面的各种说法 几乎 全部都是“方便面是一种不健康的食物，是垃圾食物”。
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而方便面油炸时的油温在145℃-165℃之间，而且油炸的时间只有 几十 秒钟。
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前面说过有的方便面是热风干燥，那它的含油量更是 几乎 可以忽略不计。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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问日期， 几月 几 ？
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问星期， 星期几 ？
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问小孩儿，你 几 岁？
This short, soothing piece is about missing someone on a rainy night. The sentences are simple and repeat often, so you can practice reading while feeling the warm emotion.
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我看着电脑，写下了 几 个字：小雨，我想你。
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我们 几 个月没有见了。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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这几天 ，他一直睡不好。
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他今天早上出门， 几乎 看不清楚前面的路。
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
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他说周六可以教我做 几 个北京菜。
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我教他英文，他教我中文，每天学 几个 词，很快，我们的英语和汉语都能好很多。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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我说您吃的 那几口 不算吃。
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你多夹 几口 ，别人就知道你好哪口。
Before you read, try clapping the rhythm. This poem introduces the days of the week and a fun secret: Chinese has two names for Sunday, but no 'Week Seven'!
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你想知道星期 几 ，可以问他星期 几 。
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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Ａ：可以问你 几个 问题吗？
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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A:你现在是HSK 几级 ？
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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胡之适接过饼干，微笑着拿起一个便吃，脸上现出 近几年 来很少见的欢愉。
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