Approximating with sequential numbers

Saying 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 to y", "x or y" or "about x" in English.

Examples

• 三 四 个人Three or four people
• 我 喝 了 七 八 瓶 啤酒 了。I drank 7 or 8 bottles of beer.
• 一 两 天One or two days.
• 这 个 词 我们 学 了 两三 次 了。This word we studied two or three times.
• 我 等 了 你 一两 个 小时。I waited for you for one to two hours.
• 我们 三四 年 没有 见面 了。We haven't seen each other for three or four 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 个 东西 只 需要 七八十 块 钱。This thing only requires seventy to eighty kuai.
• 每 个 人 要 花 两三百。Every person needs to spend two to three hundred.

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) (pp. 60) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 19-20) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (p. 459)→buy