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How to say “several” in Chinese with 几 (jǐ)

几 (jǐ) + Measure Word + Noun

几 (jī) — several, a few

HSK 2Numbers and Measure Words

Rule structure

几 (jǐ) means "several" or "a few" and is used when the exact number is small, vague, or unimportant.

Examples

几个人在图书馆里看书。

Jǐ gè rén zài túshū guǎn lǐ kàn shū.

Several people are reading books in the library.

我有几个朋友。

Wǒ yǒu jǐgè péngyǒu.

I have several friends.

我有几个中国朋友。

Wǒ yǒu jǐgè Zhōngguó péngyou.

I have several Chinese friends.

Practice

Build the sentence

Drag the characters to put them in the correct order

Characters

Words from this rule

几

jǐ

Several; how many?

个人

gè rén

Individual; personal

在

zài

To be at/in, to exist

图书馆

túshūguǎn

Library

里

lǐ

Inside, in

看

kàn

To look, to watch, to read

书

shū

Book

我

wǒ

I, me

有

yǒu

To have

个

gè

General measure word

朋友

péngyou

Friend

中国

Zhōngguó

China

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “several, a few” in Chinese with 几?

Use the structure: 几 (jǐ) + Measure Word + Noun. For example: 几个人在图书馆里看书。 — “Several people are reading books in the library”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

几个人在图书馆里看书。 — “Several people are reading books in the library”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.

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More HSK 2 grammar rules

每 — every with measure words

每 (měi) + Measure Word (+ Noun)

本 — measure words for counting

Number + Measure Word + Noun

第 — ordinal numbers

第 (dì) + Number (+ Measure Word)

这 / 那 — this and that with measure words

这 (zhè) / 那 (nà) + Measure Word (+ Noun)

了 — already done

Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)

最 — superlative “most”

最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))

到 — direction with “to go to”

到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)

虽然 — although… but…

虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯