Level 3 Lesson 32.2 – 天气不热也不冷，二十度左右。
GRAMMAR: Approximate Number in Chinese 1) ……左右; 2) ……多
In this new HSK 2 video lesson we'll learn two more ways to say Approximate Number in Chinese with two structures: ……左右 and ……多.
- ……左右 (zuǒyòu ▸ about…)
- ……多 ( duō ▸ over… )
GRAMMAR
Summary. 约数
Yuēshù ▸ Approximate Number
In our Level 2 Course, we have already learned two ways to express Approximate Number in Chinese:
| ☑ See also Approximate Number 约数(yuēshù) in Chinese (I). |
We will do a quick review of the two structures:
(1) N(N+1)
N(N+1) suggests the approximate number that is around n and n+1. For example:
- Tā zhè ge yuè zhuàn le wǔ liù qiān kuài qián.
他这个月赚了五六千块钱。
He (in) this “ge” (of) month earned (about-)5(-or-)6 thousands “kuai” (of) money.
(2) 几 (jǐ ▸ several; a few)
几 means "several; a few", and can also be used to suggest an approximate number in Chinese. For example:
- Tā qù guo jǐ shí ge guójiā.
他去过几十个国家。
He (has) been to several ten(s) “ge” (of) countries. - Jīntiān gōngsī miànshì le shí jǐ ge rén.
今天公司面试了十几个人。
Today (the) company interviewed (about-)10-something “ge” (of) people.
Grammar 2. ……左右
……zuǒyòu ▸ about...
左右(zuǒyòu) is a noun, it can be used in two ways to suggest Approximate Number.
(1) 时间词 + 左右
(shíjiāncí ▸ several; a few) + 左右
This structure can be used to say around a certain time in Chinese. For example:
- liǎng diǎn bàn zuǒyòu
两点半左右
“about (a little left or right to)” 2:30 - wǔ fēnzhōng zuǒyòu
五分钟左右
“about (a little left or right to)” 5 minutes
- Tā wánr yóuxì wánr le yí ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu.
他玩儿游戏玩儿了一个小时左右。
He played game played (for) “about (a little left or right to)” one “ge” (of) hour. - Yínháng lí zhèr yuǎn bu yuǎn? Wǒ xiǎng qù qǔ diǎn qián, bàn ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu dào de liǎo ma?
银行离这儿远不远？我想去取点钱，半个小时左右到得了吗？
Is (the) bank far (or) not far “being away from” here? I want to withdraw a-little-bit money, does “about (a little left or right to)” half “ge” (of) hour have-the-potential-to-be-able-to arrive (there)?
(2) 数词 + 量词 + 左右
(shùcí ▸ Numeral) + (liàngcí ▸ Measure Word) + 左右
This structure can be used to say around a certain quantity in Chinese. For example:
- bā qiān kuài zuǒyòu
八千块左右
“about (a little left or right to)” 8000 “kuai” - èr shí ge zuǒyòu
二十个左右
“about (a little left or right to)” 20 “ge” - Zhuō shang fàng de jiǎnlì yǒu sān shí fèn zuǒyòu.
桌上放的简历有三十份左右。
(The) resumes (on the) table-surface “reaches the evaluation of” “about (a little left or right to)” 30 “fen”. - Wǒmen shàng cì dào zhè ge chéngshì shì qiūtiān, tiānqì bú rè yě bù lěng, èr shí dù zuǒyòu.
我们上次到这个城市是秋天，天气不热也不冷，二十度左右。
Last time we arrived this “ge” (of) city (it) was autumn, (the) weather (was) not hot (and) not cold either, “about (a little left or right to)” 20 degrees.
Grammar 3. ……多
……duō ▸ over...
We use 多 to say over a certain amount in Chinese, by following this structure:
数词 + 多
(shùcí ▸ Numeral) + 多
For example:
- èr shí duō
二十多
over 20 - liǎng bǎi duō
两百多
over 200 - wǔ qiān duō
五千多
over 5000
When we want to say specifically "a certain amount of something", we follow this structure:
数词 + 多 + 量词 + 名词
(shùcí ▸ Numeral) + 多 + (liàngcí ▸ Measure Word) + (míngcí ▸ Noun)
Let's take a look at the following example sentences:
- Tā měi ge yuè dōu néng zhuàn wǔ qiān duō kuài qián.
他每个月都能赚五千多块钱。
He (for) every “ge” (of) month all can make over-5000 “kuai” (of) money. - Guò Chūnjié de shíhou jiā li qǐngkè, bàba zuò le shí duō dào cài.
过春节的时候家里请客，爸爸做了十多道菜。
(At the) time (of) celebrating the Spring Festival (our) home-inside invited guests, (my) dad made over-10 “dao” (of) dishes.
But many times, when the noun is implied, it can be omitted, so we can follow this structure:
数词 + 多 + 量词
(shùcí ▸ Numeral) + 多 + (liàngcí ▸ Measure Word)
For example:
- Jīntiān tǐng rè de, yǒu sān shí duō dù.
今天挺热的，有三十多度。
Today (is) pretty hot, (and it) “reaches the evaluation of” over-30 degrees. - Qiánmiàn yì bǎi duō mǐ jiù shì Zhōngyuǎn Lù.
前面一百多米就是中远路。
(The place in the) front over-100 meters is exactly Zhongyuan Road.
Exception
However we need to be aware that there’s one exception, and that is when talking about money. When the amount is less than ten, we say：
- qī kuài duō
七块多
over-7-“kuai” - bā kuài duō
八块多
over-8-“kuai”
Instead of
- ✗七多块
- ✗八多块