Correct
多少 vs 几
/ duōshǎo vs jǐ /
Strokes
Formula
1
几千 (several thousand)
Definition
多少 and 几 both are Pronoun, which means [how many; how much], he two interrogative pronouns are often used in the inquiry of amount.
Example
多少 is applied to a bigger estimated amount (usually more than 10); 几 is applied to a smaller amount (usually less than 10).
In example ① the estimated number is bigger, while in example ② the number does not exceed 10.
几 must be followed by a measure word, but with 多少, a measure word is not compulsory.
几 must be followed by a measure word, but with 多少, a measure word is not compulsory.
1
Lái
来
le
了
duōshǎo
多少
rén
人
?
How many people present?
2
Lái
来
le
了
jǐ
几
ge
个
rén
人
?
How many people present?
If one has no idea whether the number is big or small, it is better to use 多少.
3
Zhè
这
běn
本
shū
书
duōshǎo
多少
qián
钱
?
How much does the book cost?
4
Jīntiān
今天
yǒu
有
duōshǎo
多少
kèrén
客人
?
How many guests are there today?
With 几, one can say 十几个, 几百, 几千, etc.
几千 (several thousand)
5
Shíjǐ
十几
gè
个
between 10 and 20
6
Jībǎi
几百
several hundred
7
Jǐqiān
几千
several thousand
Moreover, 几 is more literary and often appears in the remnants of classical Chinese, etc.
8
Suǒshèngwújǐ
所剩无几
very little is left
9
Jī
几
pān
番
fēngyǔ
风雨
repeated setbacks
多少 and 几 can also be used correspondingly to indicate an indefinite number in complex sentences.
10
Jìzhu
记住
duōshǎo
多少
jiù
就
xiě
写
duōshǎo
多少
。
Write as much as you can memorize.
11
Yǒu
有
duōshǎo
多少
fángjiān
房间
,
jiù
就
jiēdài
接待
duōshǎo
多少
rén
人
。
You can admit as many guests as your hotel can hold.
12
Nǐ
你
néng
能
xiě
写
jī
几
háng
行
jiù
就
xiě
写
jī
几
háng
行
bā
吧
!
Write as many lines as you can.
13
Tā
他
yǒu
有
jǐ
几
ge
个
qián
钱
jiù
就
huā
花
jǐ
几
ge
个
qián
钱
。
He spent as much money as he has.
几 and 多少 can also indicate an uncertain number when used in a simple sentence.
没有几…… and 没有多少…… mean "to have very little or very few".
14
Wǒ
我
xiǎng
想
mǎi
买
jī
几
běn
本
shū
书
。
I want to buy a few .
15
Tā
他
méi
没
jǐ
几
ge
个
péngyou
朋友
。
He has few friends.
16
Tā
他
méi
没
duōshǎo
多少
péngyou
朋友
。
He has few friends.
17
Lí
离
kāichē
开车
méiyǒu
没有
duōshǎo
多少
shíjiān
时间
le
了
。
There wasn't much time left to get out of the car.
多少 can also be used to indicate numbers in an abstract sense; 几 cannot be used in this way.
18
Tā
他
méiyǒu
没有
duōshǎo
多少
jīhuì
机会
kě
可
gōng
供
xuǎnzé
选择
。
There are few chances for him to choose.
19
Zhè
这
jiàn
件
shì
事
huāfèi
花费
le
了
tā
她
duōshǎo
多少
jīnglì
精力
ā
啊
!
What efforts she has made!