How big? How busy? How cold? Ask questions like these
regarding the degree of an adjective with 多 (duō). This is just one
of the many uses of this word.
Structure
多 (duō) is often used to ask about the degree or extent of
something.
This is an easy way to ask "How [adjective] is [subject]?"
Examples
- 她 多 高？Tā duō
gāo?How tall is she?
- 你家 多 大？Nǐ jiā duō
dà?How large is your house?
- 你 的 孩子 多 大？Nǐ de háizi
duō dà?How old is your
child?
- 黄河 多 长？Huánghé duō
cháng?How long is the Yellow
River?
- 你 家 离 这儿 多 远？Nǐ jiā lí zhèr
duō yuǎn?How far is your house
away from here?
- 你 要 在 美国 待 多 久？Nǐ yào zài Měiguó
dāi duō jiǔ? How long are you
going to stay in the USA?
- 这些 东西 多 重？Zhèxiē dōngxi
duō zhòng?How heavy are these
things?
- 你 知道 我们 现在 多 胖 吗？Nǐ zhīdào wǒmen
xiànzài duō pàng ma?Do you know
how fat we are now?
- 你 知道 这里 的 冬天 多 冷 吗？Nǐ zhīdào
zhèlǐ de dōngtiān duō lěng ma? Do you know how cold it is here in winter?
- 你 知道 上海 的 房子 多 贵 吗？Nǐ zhīdào
Shànghǎi de fángzi duō guì ma?Do you know how expensive housing is in
Shanghai?
大 (dà) and 小 (xiǎo) can also be used to describe ages. The
question phrase 多大 (duō dà) is often used to ask "how old."
However, it is an informal way to ask, usually reserved for peers,
close friends, or children. The phrase 几岁 (jǐ suì) is most often
used for children young enough to display their ages on one hand.
Adults do not normally directly ask each other's ages in a formal
setting.
See also
Sources and further
reading
Category:A2 grammar points