Difference between revisions of "Using "ji" to mean "several""

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* 桌子 上 有 <em>几</em> 本 书。<span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ </em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few books on the table.</span>
+
* 桌子 上 有 <em>几</em> 本 书。<span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ</em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few books on the table.</span>
* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几</em> 次。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó <em>jǐ </em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to China a few times.</span>
+
* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几</em> 次。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó <em>jǐ</em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to China a few times.</span>
* 只有 <em>几</em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="pinyin">Zhǐyǒu <em>jǐ </em> gèrén qùle nàgè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">Only a few people went to that gathering. </span>
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* 只有 <em>几</em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="pinyin">Zhǐyǒu <em>jǐ</em> gèrén qù le nàgè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">Only a few people went to that gathering. </span>
*一 个 面包 只 要 <em>几</em> 块 钱。<span class="expl">几 here literally means 'several' or 'more than one'</span><span class="pinyin">Yīgè miànbāo zhǐyào <em>jǐ </em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">One bun only costs a few kuai. </span>
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*一 个 面包 只 要 <em>几</em> 块 钱。<span class="expl">(几 here literally means 'several' or 'more than one.')</span><span class="pinyin">Yīgè miànbāo zhǐyào <em>jǐ</em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">One bun only costs a few kuai.</span>
*他 已经 有 <em>几</em> 个 房子 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā yǐjīng yǒu <em>jǐ </em> gè fángzile.</span><span class="trans">He already has a few rooms. </span>
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*他 已经 有 <em>几</em> 个 房子 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā yǐjīng yǒu <em>jǐ</em> gè fángzi le.</span><span class="trans">He already has a few rooms. </span>
*我 姐姐 有 <em>几</em> 个 孩子,都 是 男孩。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiějiě yǒu <em>jǐ </em> gè háizi, dōu shì nánhái.</span><span class="trans">My older sister has a few kids, they're all boys. </span>
+
*我 姐姐 有 <em>几</em> 个 孩子,都 是 男孩。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiějiě yǒu <em>jǐ</em> gè háizi, dōu shì nánhái.</span><span class="trans">My older sister has a few kids, they're all boys. </span>
*我 已经 工作 <em>几</em> 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng gōngzuò <em>jǐ </em> niánle.</span><span class="trans">I have already worked for a few years.</span>
+
*我 已经 工作 <em>几</em> 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng gōngzuò <em>jǐ</em> nián le.</span><span class="trans">I have already worked for a few years.</span>
*从 上海 到 东京 只 需要 <em>几</em> 个 小时。<span class="pinyin">Cóng Shànghǎi dào Dōngjīng zhǐ xūyào <em>jǐ </em> gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">Going from Shanghai to Tokyo only takes a few hours.</span>
+
*从 上海 到 东京 只 需要 <em>几</em> 个 小时。<span class="pinyin">Cóng Shànghǎi dào Dōngjīng zhǐ xūyào <em>jǐ</em> gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">Going from Shanghai to Tokyo only takes a few hours.</span>
*我 每 天 都 要 喝 <em>几</em> 杯 咖啡。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ měitiān dōu yào hē <em>jǐ </em> bēi kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">Everyday I need to drink a few cups of coffee.</span>
+
*我 每 天 都 要 喝 <em>几</em> 杯 咖啡。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ měi tiān dōu yào hē <em>jǐ</em> bēi kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">Every day I need to drink a few cups of coffee.</span>
*他 有 <em>几</em> 个 女朋友。<span class="pinyin">Tā yǒu <em>jǐ </em> gè nǚ péngyǒu.</span><span class="trans">He has a few girlfriends. </span>
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*他 有 <em>几</em> 个 女朋友。<span class="pinyin">Tā yǒu <em>jǐ</em> gè nǚ péngyǒu.</span><span class="trans">He has a few girlfriends. </span>
 
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* 桌子 上 有 <em>几 十</em> 本 书。<span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ shí </em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few dozen (literally "few tens") books on the table.</span>
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* 桌子 上 有 <em>几 十</em> 本 书。<span class="expl">("Dozens" is the closest we can get in natural English to the Chinese, which literally means "tens.")</span><span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ shí</em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few dozen books on the table.</span>
* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几 十</em> 次。<span class="expl">Implying that it is quite a few times, easily can lose count.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó <em>jǐ shí </em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to China a couple dozen times.</span>
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* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几 十</em> 次。<span class="expl">(Implying that it is quite a few times, easily can lose count.)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó <em>jǐ shí</em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to China a couple dozen times.</span>
* <em>几 十 </em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="expl"> Maybe somewhere between 20 and 50 people</span><span class="pinyin"><Em>Jǐ shí </em> gèrén qùle nàgè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">A couple dozen people went to that gathering.</span>
+
* <em>几 十</em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="expl">(Maybe somewhere between 20 and 50 people)</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Jǐ shí</em> gè rén qù le nà gè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">A couple dozen people went to that gathering.</span>
*我 每 天 只 用 <em>几 十</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ měitiān zhǐ yòng <em>jǐ shí </em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Everyday I only need to spend a couple dozen kuai.</span>
+
*我 每 天 只 用 <em>几 十</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ měi tiān zhǐ yòng <em>jǐ shí</em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Every day I only need to spend a couple dozen kuai.</span>
*从 上海 去 西藏,坐 火车 需要 <em>几 十</em> 个 小时。<span class="pinyin">Cóng Shànghǎi qù Xīzàng, zuò huǒchē xūyào <em>jǐ shí </em> gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">Going from Shanghai to Tibet, riding a train takes dozens of hours. </span>
+
*从 上海 去 西藏,坐 火车 需要 <em>几 十</em> 个 小时。<span class="pinyin">Cóng Shànghǎi qù Xīzàng, zuò huǒchē xūyào <em>jǐ shí</em> gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">Going from Shanghai to Tibet, riding a train takes dozens of hours. </span>
*我 去 过 那 个 饭店 <em>几 十</em> 次。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò nàgè fàndiàn <em>jǐ shí </em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to that restaurant a bunch of times.</span>
+
*我 去 过 那 个 饭店 <em>几 十</em> 次。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù guo nà gè fàndiàn <em>jǐ shí</em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I have been to that restaurant a bunch of times.</span>
*这 个 公司 有 <em>几 十</em> 个 人。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè gōngsī yǒu <em>jǐ shí </em> gèrén.</span><span class="trans">This company has a few dozen people.</span>
+
*这 个 公司 有 <em>几 十</em> 个 人。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè gōngsī yǒu <em>jǐ shí</em> gè rén.</span><span class="trans">This company has a few dozen people.</span>
*我 已经 学 了 <em>几 十</em> 个 汉字 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng xuéle <em>jǐ shí </em> gè Hànzìle.</span><span class="trans">I've already studied a few dozen Chinese characters.</span>
+
*我 已经 学 了 <em>几 十</em> 个 汉字 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng xué le <em>jǐ shí</em> gè Hànzì le.</span><span class="trans">I've already studied a few dozen Chinese characters.</span>
*这 个 饭店 有 <em>几 十</em> 种 菜。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè fàndiàn yǒu <em>jǐ shí </em> zhòng cài.</span><span class="trans">This restaurant has dozens of types of dishes.</span>
+
*这 个 饭店 有 <em>几 十</em> 种 菜。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè fàndiàn yǒu <em>jǐ shí</em> zhòng cài.</span><span class="trans">This restaurant has dozens of types of dishes.</span>
*我 在 美国 待 了 <em>几 十</em> 天。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài Měiguó dàile <em>jǐ shí </em> tiān.</span><span class="trans">I stayed in American for a few dozen days.</span>
+
*我 在 美国 待 了 <em>几 十</em> 天。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài Měiguó dài le <em>jǐ shí</em> tiān.</span><span class="trans">I stayed in the U.S. for a few dozen days.</span>
 
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* 桌子 上 有 <em>几 百</em> 本 书。<span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ bǎi </em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few hundred books on the table.</span>
+
* 桌子 上 有 <em>几 百</em> 本 书。<span class="pinyin">Zhuōzi shàng yǒu <em>jǐ bǎi</em> běn shū.</span><span class="trans">There are a few hundred books on the table.</span>
* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几 千</em> 次。<span class="expl">Wow!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó <em>jǐ qiān </em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I've been to China thousands of times! </span>
+
* 我 去 过 中国 <em>几 千</em> 次。<span class="expl">Wow!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó <em>jǐ qiān</em> cì.</span><span class="trans">I've been to China thousands of times! </span>
* <em>几 万 </em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="expl">This is a huge event, like a stadium rock concert.</span><span class="pinyin"><Em>Jǐ wàn </em> gèrén qùle nàgè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">Several tens of thousands went to that gathering. </span>
+
* <em>几 万</em> 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。<span class="expl">This is a huge event, like a stadium rock concert.</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Jǐ wàn</em> gè rén qù le nà gè jùhuì.</span><span class="trans">Several tens of thousands went to that gathering. </span>
*妈妈 上 个 星期 借 给 了 我 <em>几 百</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Māmā shàng gè xīngqí jiè gěile wǒ <em>jǐ bǎi </em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Last week Mother gave me a couple hundred dollars.</span>
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*妈妈 上 个 星期 借 给 了 我 <em>几 百</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Māmā shàng gè xīngqí jiè gěi le wǒ <em>jǐ bǎi</em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Last week Mother gave me a couple hundred dollars.</span>
*<em>几 千</em> 个 人 想 来 我们 公司 工作。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Jǐ qiān </em> gèrén xiǎnglái wǒmen gōngsī gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Several thousands of people want to come work for our company.</span>
+
*<em>几 千</em> 个 人 想 来 我们 公司 工作。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jǐ qiān</em> gè rén xiǎnglái wǒmen gōngsī gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Several thousands of people want to come work for our company.</span>
*这 本 书 有 <em>几 万</em> 个 字。<span class="pinyin">Zhè běn shū yǒu <em>jǐ wàn </em> gè zì.</span><span class="trans">This books has tens of thousands of characters.</span>
+
*这 本 书 有 <em>几 万</em> 个 字。<span class="pinyin">Zhè běn shū yǒu <em>jǐ wàn</em> gè zì.</span><span class="trans">This books has tens of thousands of characters.</span>
*这 句 话,你 已经 说 了 <em>几 百</em> 次 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jù huà, nǐ yǐjīng shuōle <em>jǐ bǎi </em> cìle.</span><span class="trans">You've already said this hundreds of times!</span>
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*这 句 话,你 已经 说 了 <em>几 百</em> 次 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jù huà, nǐ yǐjīng shuō le <em>jǐ bǎi</em> cì le.</span><span class="trans">You've already said this hundreds of times!</span>
*他 每 个 月 只 有 <em>几 千</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Tā měi gè yuè zhǐyǒu <em>jǐ qiān </em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Every month, he only has a few thousand dollars.</span>
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*他 每 个 月 只 有 <em>几 千</em> 块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Tā měi gè yuè zhǐyǒu <em>jǐ qiān</em> kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">Every month, he only has a few thousand dollars.</span>
*在 上海,<em>几 万</em> 块 钱 不 能 买 到 房子。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi,<em>jǐ wàn </em> kuài qián bùnéng mǎi dào fángzi.</span><span class="trans">In Shanghai, a few tens of thousands of dollars cannot buy house.</span>
+
*在 上海,<em>几 万</em> 块 钱 不 能 买 到 房子。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi,<em>jǐ wàn</em> kuài qián bùnéng mǎi dào fángzi.</span><span class="trans">In Shanghai, a few tens of thousands of dollars cannot buy house.</span>
*她 的 家 里 有 <em>几 百</em> 双 鞋。<span class="pinyin">Tā de jiā li yǒu <em>jǐ bǎi </em> shuāng xié.</span><span class="trans">She has a couple hundred pairs of shoes in her house.</span>
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*她 的 家 里 有 <em>几 百</em> 双 鞋。<span class="pinyin">Tā de jiā li yǒu <em>jǐ bǎi</em> shuāng xié.</span><span class="trans">She has a couple hundred pairs of shoes in her house.</span>
 
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=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (p. 641) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
 
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (p. 641) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
 
 
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]

Revision as of 03:08, 24 November 2014

One of the definitions of the common character 几 (jǐ) is "several", "a couple" or "a few". It's an uncertain number that is at least more than one, but less than ten.

几 can be used to mean a few specific things

The simplest way to use 几 (jǐ) is to use it directly with a measure word. It means "a few", less than ten or so, things.

Structure

几 + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

  • 桌子 上 有 本 书。Zhuōzi shàng yǒu běn shū.There are a few books on the table.
  • 我 去 过 中国 次。Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó cì.I have been to China a few times.
  • 只有 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。Zhǐyǒu gèrén qù le nàgè jùhuì.Only a few people went to that gathering.
  • 一 个 面包 只 要 块 钱。(几 here literally means 'several' or 'more than one.')Yīgè miànbāo zhǐyào kuài qián.One bun only costs a few kuai.
  • 他 已经 有 个 房子 了。Tā yǐjīng yǒu gè fángzi le.He already has a few rooms.
  • 我 姐姐 有 个 孩子,都 是 男孩。Wǒ jiějiě yǒu gè háizi, dōu shì nánhái.My older sister has a few kids, they're all boys.
  • 我 已经 工作 年 了。Wǒ yǐjīng gōngzuò nián le.I have already worked for a few years.
  • 从 上海 到 东京 只 需要 个 小时。Cóng Shànghǎi dào Dōngjīng zhǐ xūyào gè xiǎoshí.Going from Shanghai to Tokyo only takes a few hours.
  • 我 每 天 都 要 喝 杯 咖啡。Wǒ měi tiān dōu yào hē bēi kāfēi.Every day I need to drink a few cups of coffee.
  • 他 有 个 女朋友。Tā yǒu gè nǚ péngyǒu.He has a few girlfriends.

几 can be used to express a few "tens" of things

Similar to how in English we can say "a few dozen" or "a couple dozen", though in this case instead of "twelves of something" we are saying "tens of something".

Structure

几 + 十 + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

  • 桌子 上 有 几 十 本 书。("Dozens" is the closest we can get in natural English to the Chinese, which literally means "tens.")Zhuōzi shàng yǒu jǐ shí běn shū.There are a few dozen books on the table.
  • 我 去 过 中国 几 十 次。(Implying that it is quite a few times, easily can lose count.)Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó jǐ shí cì.I have been to China a couple dozen times.
  • 几 十 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。(Maybe somewhere between 20 and 50 people)Jǐ shí gè rén qù le nà gè jùhuì.A couple dozen people went to that gathering.
  • 我 每 天 只 用 几 十 块 钱。Wǒ měi tiān zhǐ yòng jǐ shí kuài qián.Every day I only need to spend a couple dozen kuai.
  • 从 上海 去 西藏,坐 火车 需要 几 十 个 小时。Cóng Shànghǎi qù Xīzàng, zuò huǒchē xūyào jǐ shí gè xiǎoshí.Going from Shanghai to Tibet, riding a train takes dozens of hours.
  • 我 去 过 那 个 饭店 几 十 次。Wǒ qù guo nà gè fàndiàn jǐ shí cì.I have been to that restaurant a bunch of times.
  • 这 个 公司 有 几 十 个 人。Zhè gè gōngsī yǒu jǐ shí gè rén.This company has a few dozen people.
  • 我 已经 学 了 几 十 个 汉字 了。Wǒ yǐjīng xué le jǐ shí gè Hànzì le.I've already studied a few dozen Chinese characters.
  • 这 个 饭店 有 几 十 种 菜。Zhè gè fàndiàn yǒu jǐ shí zhòng cài.This restaurant has dozens of types of dishes.
  • 我 在 美国 待 了 几 十 天。Wǒ zài Měiguó dài le jǐ shí tiān.I stayed in the U.S. for a few dozen days.

几 can also be used to mean a few hundred, thousand, or ten thousand

In Chinese we can put 几 (jǐ) together with 百 (bǎi), 千 (qiān), or 万 (wàn), just like how in English we might say "a few hundred" or a "few thousand".

Structure

几 + 百/千/万 + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

  • 桌子 上 有 几 百 本 书。Zhuōzi shàng yǒu jǐ bǎi běn shū.There are a few hundred books on the table.
  • 我 去 过 中国 几 千 次。Wow!Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó jǐ qiān cì.I've been to China thousands of times!
  • 几 万 个 人 去 了 那 个 聚会。This is a huge event, like a stadium rock concert.Jǐ wàn gè rén qù le nà gè jùhuì.Several tens of thousands went to that gathering.
  • 妈妈 上 个 星期 借 给 了 我 几 百 块 钱。Māmā shàng gè xīngqí jiè gěi le wǒ jǐ bǎi kuài qián.Last week Mother gave me a couple hundred dollars.
  • 几 千 个 人 想 来 我们 公司 工作。Jǐ qiān gè rén xiǎnglái wǒmen gōngsī gōngzuò.Several thousands of people want to come work for our company.
  • 这 本 书 有 几 万 个 字。Zhè běn shū yǒu jǐ wàn gè zì.This books has tens of thousands of characters.
  • 这 句 话,你 已经 说 了 几 百 次 了。Zhè jù huà, nǐ yǐjīng shuō le jǐ bǎi cì le.You've already said this hundreds of times!
  • 他 每 个 月 只 有 几 千 块 钱。Tā měi gè yuè zhǐyǒu jǐ qiān kuài qián.Every month, he only has a few thousand dollars.
  • 在 上海,几 万 块 钱 不 能 买 到 房子。Zài Shànghǎi,jǐ wàn kuài qián bùnéng mǎi dào fángzi.In Shanghai, a few tens of thousands of dollars cannot buy house.
  • 她 的 家 里 有 几 百 双 鞋。Tā de jiā li yǒu jǐ bǎi shuāng xié.She has a couple hundred pairs of shoes in her house.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries