Difference between revisions of "Approximating with sequential numbers"

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Expressing approximate numbers in Chinese is quite simple, and this article introduces one of the most basic ways to do so.
 
Expressing approximate numbers in Chinese is quite simple, and this article introduces one of the most basic ways to do so.
  
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=== Structure ===
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== Structure ==
  
 
An easy way to express approximate numbers is to use two sequential numbers in a row.  
 
An easy way to express approximate numbers is to use two sequential numbers in a row.  
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Number + (Number+1)
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Number + (Number + 1)
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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This is similar to saying "x to y," "x or y," or "about x" in English.
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This is similar to saying "x or y" or "about x" in English.
  
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=== Examples ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* <em>一 两</em> 天 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yī liǎng</em> tiān</span><span class="trans">One or two days.</span>
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* <em>一 两</em> 天 <span class="pinyin"><em>yī liǎng</em> tiān</span><span class="trans">one or two days</span>
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* <em>三 四</em> 个 人 <span class="pinyin"> <em>Sān sì</em> gè rén</span><span class="trans">Three or four people</span>
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* <em>三 四</em> 个 人 <span class="pinyin"> <em>sān sì</em> gè rén</span><span class="trans">three or four people</span>
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* 老板 昨天 喝 了<em>七 八</em> 瓶 啤酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Laobǎn zuótiān hē le <em>qī bā</em> píng píjiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">The boss drunk 7 or 8 bottles of beer yeterday.</span>
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* 老板 昨天 喝 了<em>七 八</em> 瓶 胡萝卜 汁 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zuótiān hē le <em>qī bā</em> píng húluóbo zhī.</span><span class="trans">The boss drank 7 or 8 bottles of carrot juice yesterday.</span>
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* 这 个 词 我们 学 过<em>两 三</em> 次 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge cí wǒmen xué guo <em>liǎng sān</em> cì le.</span> <span class="trans">We've studied this word two or three times now.</span>
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* 这 个 词 我们 学 过 <em>两 三</em> 次 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège cí wǒmen xué guo <em>liǎng sān</em> cì le.</span><span class="trans">We've studied this word two or three times now.</span>
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* 我 等 了 你<em>三 四</em> 个 小时。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ děng le nǐ <em>sān sì</em> ge xiǎoshí.</span> <span class="trans">I waited for you for three or four hours.</span>
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* 我 等 了 你 <em>三 四</em> 个 小时。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ děng le nǐ <em>sān sì</em> gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">I waited for you for three or four hours.</span>
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* 他们 <em>七 八</em> 年 没 见面 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>qī bā</em> nián méijiànmiàn le.</span> <span class="trans">They haven't seen each other for seven or eight years.</span>
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* 他们 <em>七 八</em> 年 没 见面 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>qī bā</em> nián méi jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">They haven't seen each other for seven or eight years.</span>
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* 要 做 完 这 个 工作 需要<em>一 两</em> 个 月 。 <span class="pinyin">Yào zuò wán zhè ge gōngzuò xūyào <em>yī liǎng</em> gè yuè.</span> <span class="trans">To complete this work, you need one to two months.</span>
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* 要 做 完 这 个 工作 需要 <em>一 两</em> 个 月 。 <span class="pinyin">Yào zuò wán zhège gōngzuò xūyào <em>yī liǎng</em> gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">To complete this work, you need one to two months.</span>
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* 他们 家 的 孩子<em>五 六</em> 岁 了 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiā de háizi <em>wǔ liù</em> suì le ba.</span> <span class="trans">Their child is about five or six years old.</span>
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* 他们 家 的 孩子<em>五 六</em> 岁 了 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiā de háizi <em>wǔ liù</em> suì le ba.</span><span class="trans">Their child is about five or six years old.</span>
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* 这 件 衣服 只  要<em>七 八 十</em> 块 钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu zhǐ yào <em>qī bā shí</em> kuài qián.</span> <span class="trans">This piece of clothing only needs (costs) seventy to eighty kuai.</span>
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* 这 件 衣服 只  要 <em>七 八 十</em> 块 钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu zhǐ yào <em>qī bā shí</em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">This clothing only costs seventy to eighty kuai.</span>
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* 这 几 本 书 花 了 我<em>两 三 百</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jǐ běn shū huā le wǒ <em>liǎng sān bǎi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">These few books cost me two or three hundred kuai.</span>
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* 这 几 本 书 花 了 我 <em>两 三 百</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jǐ běn shū huā le wǒ <em>liǎng sān bǎi</em>.</span><span class="trans">These few books cost me two or three hundred kuai.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Indicating a Number in Excess]]
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 +
*[[Indicating a number in excess]]
 
*[[Measure words for counting]]
 
*[[Measure words for counting]]
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|84}}
 
* [[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]
 
* [[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]
 
* [[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]
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{Basic Grammar|none|A2|Number + (Number +1)|<em>三 四</em>个 人。<em>一 两</em> 天。|grammar point|ASGOUD8U}}
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Basic Grammar|none|A2|Number 1 + Number 2|<em>三 四</em>个 人。<em>一 两</em> 天。|grammar point|ASGOUD8U}}
 
{{Similar|Indicating a Number in Excess}}       
 
{{Similar|Indicating a Number in Excess}}       
 
{{Similar|Measure words for counting}}
 
{{Similar|Measure words for counting}}
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{{Similar|Counting money}}
 
{{Similar|Counting money}}
 
{{Translation|about}}
 
{{Translation|about}}
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{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}
 
{{POS|Numbers}}
 
{{POS|Numbers}}
−
{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}
 

Latest revision as of 08:13, 4 March 2019

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

Sources and further reading

Books

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