how many; how much
多少
Common Usage & Traps
- 多少钱 — how much money
- 多少人 — how many people
- 多少岁 — how old (age)
- 多少个苹果 — how many apples
- 多少本书 — how many books
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多少贵多贵多少 asks quantity, not degree. Use 多 + adjective for 'how expensive'.
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几钱多少钱几 needs a counting word like 块 before 钱. 多少钱 is the standard price question.
When asking 'how many', should I use 多少 or 几?
Use 几 for small numbers you expect, and 多少 for open-ended amounts.
几 usually signals that you expect a small number under ten, like 几个人. 多少 works for any amount, whether the number is big, small, or unknown. Also, 几 needs a counting word, while 多少 often skips it in casual speech. If you are unsure, 多少 is the safe choice for daily life.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Small number you expect | 几个人 (how many people, under 10) | 几人 (sounds clipped in casual speech) |
| Unknown or large amount | 多少人 (how many people) | 几个人 when asking about a crowd |
| Counting word | 几本书 / 多少本书 | 几书 (missing counting word) |
Can I ask my boss 你几岁?
No. 几岁 treats an adult like a child; use 多大 or 多少岁.
几岁 is normal for kids and sounds cute, not insulting. Asking an adult 你几岁 can land as rude or completely absurd in real life. For adults, 你多大 or 您多大年纪 is the polite everyday default. 多少岁 is acceptable, but it sounds more clinical and less friendly.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Child | 你几岁? | 您多大年纪? (too formal for a kid) |
| Adult friend | 你多大? | 你几岁? |
| Boss or stranger | 您多大年纪? / 您多大? | 你几岁? (childish and rude) |
Why is it 多少钱 and not 几钱 when asking prices?
多少钱 is the default price question; 几钱 sounds Cantonese or broken Mandarin.
多少钱 works for any price, from a bottle of water to a new car. 几块钱 only asks 'how many yuan' and hints you expect a small bill. In standard Mandarin, 几 cannot sit alone before 钱; it needs a counting word like 块. If you want the safe phrase for shops, use 多少钱. “买东西,多少钱?” (When shopping, ask 'How much is it?') ── [《问问题》](/read/asking-questions-daily-life#s6)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Any price | 多少钱 | 几钱 |
| Cheap item, under 10 yuan | 几块钱 | 几钱 |
| Polite shop talk | 这个多少钱? | 这个几钱? |
Can I say 多少贵 for 'how expensive'?
No. Use 多贵 for degree and 多少钱 for price.
多少 asks quantity, not degree, so it cannot directly modify an adjective. Chinese uses 多 plus an adjective for 'how [adjective]': 多贵, 多大, 多高. If you want a price, stick with the fixed phrase 多少钱.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 多少钱 | 多少贵 |
| Degree | 多贵 | 多少贵 |
| Other adjectives | 多大 / 多高 | 多少大 / 多少高 |
Featured in Story Deep Dive
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
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.
- Scene #1
买东西, 多少 钱?
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