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多少
duō shǎo
how many/much
你有多少钱？
How much money do you have?
informal
Used to ask about quantity or amount
你有多少苹果？
How many apples do you have?
这里有多少人？
How many people are here?
Can be used for countable (多少人) or uncountable (多少水) nouns.
formal
An unspecified or indefinite amount
多少年来，他一直在努力工作。
For many years, he has been working hard.
多少有些失望是难免的。
Some disappointment is inevitable.
Often used in literary or formal contexts to mean 'some' or 'a certain amount'.
Pro Tip
Asking about quantity
Use 多少 + noun to ask 'how many/much' in questions. For example, 多少人？ (how many people?) or 多少水？ (how much water?).
Gold Rule
Quantity questions
For countable nouns, use 多少 + noun (e.g., 多少书). For uncountable nouns, use 多少 + noun (e.g., 多少水).
Word Origin
多 (duō, 'many') + 少 (shǎo, 'few') — originally meant 'how much/many' in classical Chinese, evolving into modern usage.
Usage Notes
In spoken Chinese, 多少 is often used in questions about quantity. In written or formal contexts, it can also imply an indefinite amount.
Word Breakdown
多
many/much
root少
few/little
root汉英词典