28/08/2026
👀 “多少” and “几” both mean “how many”… so why does Chinese need two words?
Let’s break it down:
多少
duōshao
= how many / how much
Use it when you don’t know the number or it could be large.
多少钱?
Duōshao qián?
How much does it cost?
你有多少朋友?
Nǐ yǒu duōshao péngyou?
How many friends do you have?
几
jǐ
= how many
Use it when you expect a small number.
你有几个孩子?
Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge háizi?
How many children do you have?
现在几点?
Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it?
Easy way to remember:
🔢 Small number → 几 (jǐ)
🔢 Unknown or bigger number → 多少 (duōshao)
Can you make a sentence using 多少 or 几? Share it below! 👇