Definition
多 (duō) is a basic adjective meaning 'many, much, a lot' — it goes directly before nouns (多人 'many people'). For 'many', the colloquial 好多 (hǎo duō) and the more formal 许多 (xǔ duō) are common alternatives, but 多 is the simplest and most versatile. 多 also serves as an interrogative 'how' before adjectives (多大 'how big?') and as a suffix after numbers to mean '...-odd, more than' (十多个 'ten-odd').
adjective
manymucha lot(interrogative) how (used before adjectives — 多大, 多高, 多远)(after a number) ...-oddmore than (十多个 'ten-odd')
Easily confused
- 名mínglook-alikename
- 躲duǒsound-aliketo hide (oneself); to dodge; to avoid
- 岁suìlook-alike(classifier) years of age
- 夺duósound-aliketo seize, to take by force
- 外wàilook-alikeoutside (as a location)
- 朵duǒsound-alike(classifier) for flowers, clouds, and similar clump-like objects
- 梦mènglook-alikedream (while sleeping or a cherished aspiration)
Examples
- 多。Wǒ yǒu duō shū.I have many books.
- 多？Nǐ duō dà?How old are you?
- 多。Wǒ yǒu shí duō gè píngguǒ.I have ten-odd apples.
Grammar
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