谁？
shéi?
Who?
How to say "how much" or "how many" in Chinese
多少？
duōshao?
How much/many?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
多少 combines 多 (duō, 'many') and 少 (shǎo, 'few') — literally 'many-few'. It's a question word that asks for a number or amount. It can stand alone or precede a noun, like 多少人? (duōshao rén?) — 'how many people?'.
Variations and politeness
多少钱？
duōshǎo qián?
How much money? — More specific, used when asking about price.
多少个？
duōshǎo gè?
How many items? — More specific, used when asking about the number of objects.
Mini dialogue
A
这个多少钱？
zhège duōshǎo qián?
How much is this?
B
这个五十块。
zhège wǔshí kuài.
This is fifty yuan.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you want to ask about a quantity or number.
- When you expect a numeric answer, such as price, age, or amount.
- In both formal and informal situations, as it is neutral in tone.
Avoid when
- When asking about someone's well-being; use 怎么样 (zěnme yàng) instead.
- When asking about degree or extent; use 多 (duō) before an adjective, like 多大 (duō dà) for 'how big'.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'how much' in Chinese?
You say 多少 (duōshao) for 'how much' or 'how many'. For prices, you can say 多少钱 (duōshao qián).
How do you pronounce 多少?
It is pronounced duōshao, with the first syllable in a high flat tone and the second in a neutral tone.
When do you use 多少?
Use 多少 when you expect a number as the answer, such as asking about price, quantity, or age. It is neutral and can be used in any situation.
More phrases for this situation
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