Indicating a number in excess

A number in excess of a certain amount is expressed by adding "多" (duō) to the end of a number. This is usually translated as "more than..." in English.

Structure

Number + 多 + Measure word + (Noun)

Examples

• 他 的 妈妈 已经 五十 多 岁 了。Tā de māma yǐjīng wǔshí duō suì le.His mother is already more than fifty years old.
• 这个 包 三千 多 块钱？Zhège bāo sānqiān duō kuài qián?This bag is more than three thousand kuai?
• 我 的 毕业 论文 已经 写 了 两百 多 页 了！Wǒ de bìyè lùnwén yǐjīng xiě le liǎng bǎi duō yè le!My graduate dissertation is already more than two hundred pages!
• 中国 有 五千 多 年 的 历史!Zhōngguó yǒu wǔqiān duō nián de lìshǐ!China has more than five thousand years of history!

In the above examples, 年 does not take a measure word.

When the number is smaller than eleven, the 多 can be put after the measure word. However, if the number is bigger than eleven, the 多 has to be put before the measure word:

• 五岁多
• 五十岁多
• 五十多 岁
• 九十块钱多
• 九十多 块 钱

See also

• Intensifying with "duo"
• Doing something more with "duo"
• Asking about degree with "duo"
• Measure Words for Verbs
• Using "ji" to mean "several"

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 81) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 205-7) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 86)→buy