Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'quite a few' with 不少 (bùshǎo)

    Degree & Intensity
    Numbers & Quantity

    Structure

    Verb + 了 + 不少 + Noun

    Explanation

    不少 (bùshǎo) literally means "not few" and is used to express "quite a few" or "a considerable number of." It functions as an adjective or adverb to indicate that the quantity of something is larger than expected. It is commonly placed before a noun or after a verb to emphasize abundance.

    Examples

    • 今天来了不少客人，比我预想的多。

      Jīntiān láile bù shǎo kèrén, bǐ wǒ yùxiǎng de duō.

      Quite a few guests came today, more than I expected.

    • 她学中文的时间不长，但进步不少。

      Tā xué Zhōngwén de shíjiān bù cháng, dàn jìnbù bù shǎo.

      She hasn't been studying Chinese for long, but she's made a lot of progress.

    • 这家店的评价不少都是五星好评。

      Zhè jiā diàn de píngjià bù shǎo dōu shì wǔ xīng hǎopíng.

      Quite a few of this store's reviews are five-star ratings.

    Similar Grammar

    Expressing 'quite a few' with 不少 (bùshǎo) | Chinese Grammar