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plStructure
Basic form
The interrogative pronouns jǐ 几/幾 and duōshao 多少 ‘how many’ are used with a measure word and noun to form a noun phrase. In the case of duōshao 多少, the measure word can be omitted.
Questions
The interrogative pronouns jǐ 几/幾 and duōshao 多少 ‘how many’ are normally placed at the point where the required information would be provided in the corresponding statement.
Functions
1. Jǐ 几/幾 and duōshao 多少 asking about numbers
Th interrogative pronouns jǐ 几/幾 and duōshao 多少 ‘how many’ are used to ask questions about numbers. Jǐ 几/幾 is used to ask about relatively small numbers, usually smaller than ten. It must always be used with a measure word.
The interrogative pronoun duōshao 多少 is usually used to ask about bigger numbers. The measure word can be omitted in the question, but must be used in the answer.
2. Jǐ 几/幾 asking about the time
Jǐ 几/幾 can also be used to ask about the time on the clock. In this case, it is followed by diǎn 点/點 ‘o’clock’. The expression jǐ diǎn 几点/幾點 ‘at which hour’ is usually placed before the verb.
Note that jǐ diǎn 几点/幾點 ‘at which hour’ asks for an exact clock time, while shénme shíhou 什么时候 / 什麼時候 ‘when’ is more general and can refer to any time.
3. Jǐ 几/幾 asking about children’s ages
The interrogative pronoun jǐ 几/幾 can form a phrase with suì 岁/歲 ‘years of age’ to ask about age. It is used for asking about the age of children under 10 years old.
When asking about the age of older people the phrase duō dà 多大 ‘how old’ should be used instead.
Also see Interrogative pronoun duō 多 ‘how’ for more information.
4. Jǐ 几/幾 meaning ‘a few’
The interrogative pronoun jǐ 几/幾 can be used in declarative sentences to mean ‘a few’.