Approximate Numbers 2
概数表示法2
Express approximate quantities using 大概, 大约, 几, adjacent numbers, 左右, and 前后
Chinese has multiple strategies for expressing approximate numbers: adverbs like 大概 and 大约 before the number, the indefinite 几 meaning "a few," combining adjacent numbers (三四个), and using 左右 or 前后 after the number.
左右 works with quantities, ages, times, and prices. 前后 is typically used with dates, holidays, and time periods. Adjacent numbers must be consecutive (三四, not 三五).
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Approximate Numbers 2 (概数表示法2)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 概数表示法2 pattern
New here?
Understanding 概数表示法2
In real conversations, you rarely need exact numbers. Chinese has a rich set of tools for expressing approximation, and this lesson covers three important strategies beyond what you learned at HSK 1-2 level. First, adverbs like 大概 (roughly), 大约 (approximately), and 几 (a few / several) placed before numbers give a sense of vagueness. Second, you can combine two adjacent numbers — 三四个 means "three or four," 十五六岁 means "fifteen or sixteen years old." This is elegantly efficient and extremely common in spoken Chinese. Third, 左右 (literally "left and right") and 前后 (literally "before and after") placed after a number mean "around / approximately." The key difference is that 左右 works broadly with quantities, ages, and times, while 前后 is specialized for dates and time periods like holidays. Mastering these patterns makes your Chinese sound natural and fluid rather than robotically precise.
Key Points
- 大概 (dàgài) + number: 大概两千块 (about 2000 yuan) — casual, conversational.
- 大约 (dàyuē) + number: 大约三十岁 (approximately 30 years old) — slightly more formal.
- 几 (jǐ) = "a few / several": 几本书 (a few books), 几个人 (a few people).
- Adjacent numbers: 三四个 (3-4), 十五六岁 (15-16), 七八十个人 (70-80 people), 五六百块 (500-600 yuan).
- Number + 左右 (zuǒyòu): 三十岁左右 (around 30 years old), 八点左右 (around 8 o'clock).
- Date/holiday + 前后 (qiánhòu): 春节前后 (around Spring Festival), 五一前后 (around May Day).
Chinese culture often values vagueness over precision in casual settings — being too exact about money, age, or time can feel rigid or even rude. Using approximate numbers shows social finesse. When asking someone's age, saying 你大概多大？ is softer than demanding an exact number.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
这个手机大概两千块。
This phone is about 2000 yuan.
我的中文老师大约三十岁。
My Chinese teacher is approximately 30 years old.
我上网买了几本书。
I bought a few books online.
教室里有三四个学生。
There are three or four students in the classroom.
Adjacent numbers combined
他看起来十五六岁。
He looks about fifteen or sixteen years old.
那个房间有七八十个人。
That room has about seventy or eighty people.
他三十岁左右。
He is around 30 years old.
春节前后天气很冷。
The weather is very cold around Spring Festival.
Common Mistakes
Adjacent numbers must be consecutive. 三五 skips 四, so it is not a valid approximate pair. Use 三四 or 四五.
前后 is for dates and holidays (春节前后, 国庆前后), not clock times. Use 左右 for clock times and ages.
左右 and 前后 always come after the number, not before.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Use 大概 in casual speech and 大约 when you want to sound a bit more precise or formal.
Adjacent number pairs are one of the most "Chinese-sounding" patterns — practice them to sound natural.
Remember: 左右 = flexible (time, age, quantity), 前后 = dates and holidays only.
When guessing someone's age politely, 左右 is your best friend: 你看起来二十五岁左右。
Homework
Write eight sentences using different approximation strategies: two with 大概/大约, two with adjacent numbers, two with 左右, and two with 前后. Cover topics like prices, ages, times, and holidays.