{{Grammar Box}} Expressing approximate numbers in Chinese is quite simple, and this article introduces one of the most basic ways to do so. == Structure == An easy way to express approximate numbers is to use two sequential numbers in a row.
Number + (Number + 1)
This is similar to saying "x or y" or "about x" in English. == Examples ==
* 一 两 天 yī liǎng tiānone or two days * 三 四 个 人 sān sì gè rénthree or four people * 老板 昨天 喝 了七 八 瓶 胡萝卜 汁 。 Lǎobǎn zuótiān hē le qī bā píng húluóbo zhī.The boss drank 7 or 8 bottles of carrot juice yesterday. * 这 个 词 我们 学 过 两 三 次 了 。 Zhège cí wǒmen xué guo liǎng sān cì le.We've studied this word two or three times now. * 我 等 了 你 三 四 个 小时。 Wǒ děng le nǐ sān sì gè xiǎoshí.I waited for you for three or four hours. * 他们 七 八 年 没 见面 了 。 Tāmen qī bā nián méi jiànmiàn le.They haven't seen each other for seven or eight years. * 要 做 完 这 个 工作 需要 一 两 个 月 。 Yào zuò wán zhège gōngzuò xūyào yī liǎng gè yuè.To complete this work, you need one to two months. * 他们 家 的 孩子五 六 岁 了 吧 。 Tāmen jiā de háizi wǔ liù suì le ba.Their child is about five or six years old. * 这 件 衣服 只 要 七 八 十 块 钱 。 Zhè jiàn yīfu zhǐ yào qī bā shí kuài qián.This clothing only costs seventy to eighty kuai. * 这 几 本 书 花 了 我 两 三 百。 Zhè jǐ běn shū huā le wǒ liǎng sān bǎi.These few books cost me two or three hundred kuai.
==See also== *[[Indicating a number in excess]] *[[Measure words for counting]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) ]] (p. 60) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy] * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 19-20) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）]] (p. 459)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] [[Category:A2 grammar points]] {{Basic Grammar|none|A2|Number 1 + Number 2|三 四个 人。一 两 天。|grammar point|ASGOUD8U}} {{Similar|Indicating a Number in Excess}} {{Similar|Measure words for counting}} {{Similar|Structure of numbers}} {{Similar|Counting money}} {{Translation|about}} {{POS|Numbers}} {{Used for| Expressing quantity}}