Sentence pattern · Band 1
几 and 多少: asking how many
几 + 量词 / 多少 + 名词
Two words ask how many, split by size. 几 expects a small answer, roughly ten or under, and always brings a measure word along, as in 几本书 or 几点 for clock time. 多少 handles big or unknown counts, prices included, no stub needed: 多少钱. When a shop owner asks how many buns you want, you hear 几个 and never 多少.
Hear it in a sentence
Mistakes people make
几 needs its measure word before the noun; the noun cannot hang directly after 几.
Prices and other big counts belong to 多少; 几 only handles small, countable numbers.
Words in this pattern
Quick answers
What does 几、多少 mean?
Two words ask how many, split by size. 几 expects a small answer, roughly ten or under, and always brings a measure word along, as in 几本书 or 几点 for clock time. 多少 handles big or unknown counts, prices included, no stub needed: 多少钱. When a shop owner asks how many buns you want, you hear 几个 and never 多少.
How do you build it?
几 + 量词 / 多少 + 名词
What is the most common mistake?
你有几书？ → 你有几本书？
几 needs its measure word before the noun; the noun cannot hang directly after 几.
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