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Expressing 'a few' with 几 (jǐ)
Numbers & Quantity
Questions
Structure
几 + Classifier + Noun
Explanation
几 (jǐ) means "a few," "several," or "how many" and is used before a classifier to indicate a small, indefinite number. In statements, it means "a few" or "several," while in questions it means "how many." For example, 几分钟 means "a few minutes" or "how many minutes," depending on context.
Examples
等我几分钟，我马上就好。
děng wǒ jǐ fēnzhōng, wǒ mǎshàng jiù hǎo.
Wait a few minutes for me — I'll be ready soon.
桌子上有几本书，你可以随便看。
zhuōzi shàng yǒu jǐ běn shū, nǐ kěyǐ suíbiàn kàn.
There are a few books on the table — feel free to read any of them.
他去过好几个国家，经验很丰富。
tā qùguò hǎo jǐ ge guójiā, jīngyàn hěn fēngfù.
He's been to quite a few countries and has a lot of experience.