Definition
This is a colloquial approximate number pattern: say one tens-unit number (二十五) immediately followed by the next unit's digit (六) to mean 'twenty-five or twenty-six', 'around twenty-five to twenty-six'. The pattern works with other tens: 十七八 ('seventeen or eighteen'), 三十五六 ('thirty-five or thirty-six'). It's very common for ages (二十五六岁), dates (二十五六号), or rough quantities. No conjunction or 或者 needed.
m
twenty-five or twenty-sixapproximately twenty-five
Examples
- 二十五六。Tā kàn qǐlai èr shí wǔ liù suì zuǒyòu.He looks around twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
- 二十五六。Wǒmen shì èr shí wǔ liù hào qù Běijīng de.We went to Beijing on the 25th or 26th.
- 二十五六。Zhè cì lái le èr shí wǔ liù gè rén.About twenty-five or twenty-six people came this time.
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