How to use 几
几 + Measure Word + Noun
几 does not always ask a question. In a statement, it can stand for an unspecified small number before a classifier and noun. The sentence then supplies a rough quantity rather than asking the listener to count. Context and the surrounding clause distinguish this meaning from the interrogative use.
When 几 precedes a larger unit such as 十 or 百, that unit scales the amount; the result is not just a few individual items. 好几 emphasizes that there are quite a few relative to the situation. Avoid treating “a few” as a precise numerical interval fixed for every noun. The relevant unit and the speaker's expectations shape what the expression communicates.
Examples with pinyin and English
桌子上有几本书。
There are a few books on the table.
只有几个人去过那个地方。
Only a few people have been to that place.
从上海到东京坐飞机只要几个小时。
Flying from Shanghai to Tokyo only takes a few hours.
我每天都要喝几杯咖啡。
Every day I have to drink a couple cups of coffee.
What to remember
- Use context to distinguish statements from questions.
- Place the classifier after 几 when needed.
- Larger units scale the approximate quantity.
Practise the pattern
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.