Difference between revisions of "Approximating with sequential numbers"
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| − | This is similar to saying | + | This is similar to saying "x or y" or "about x" in English. |
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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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> | * <em>三 四</em> 个 人 <span class="pinyin"> <em>Sān sì</em> gè rén</span><span class="trans">Three or four people</span> | ||
* 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> | * 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> | ||
| − | * 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> | + | * 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> |
| − | * 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> | + | * 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> |
* 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> | * 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> | ||
| − | * 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> | + | * 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> |
* 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> | * 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> | ||
| − | * 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> | + | * 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> |
| − | * 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> | + | * 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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Revision as of 07:08, 19 March 2016
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
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 One or two days.
- 三 四 个 人 Three or four people
- 老板 昨天 喝 了七 八 瓶 啤酒 。 The boss drunk 7 or 8 bottles of beer yeterday.
- 这 个 词 我们 学 过 两 三 次 了 。 We've studied this word two or three times now.
- 我 等 了 你 三 四 个 小时。 I waited for you for three or four hours.
- 他们 七 八 年 没 见面 了 。 They haven't seen each other for seven or eight years.
- 要 做 完 这 个 工作 需要 一 两 个 月 。 To complete this work, you need one to two months.
- 他们 家 的 孩子五 六 岁 了 吧 。 Their child is about five or six years old.
- 这 件 衣服 只 要 七 八 十 块 钱 。 This piece of clothing only needs (costs) seventy to eighty kuai.
- 这 几 本 书 花 了 我 两 三 百。 These few books cost me two or three hundred kuai.
