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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'approximately' with 约 (yuē)

    Degree & Intensity
    Numbers & Quantity

    Structure

    约 + Number + Measure Word + Noun

    Explanation

    约 (yuē) means "approximately" or "about" and is placed before a number to indicate an estimate. It is more formal than 大约 and is frequently used in news reports and written Chinese.

    Examples

    • 这座桥全长约两千米。

      zhè zuò qiáo quán cháng yuē liǎng qiān mǐ.

      This bridge has a total length of about two thousand meters.

    • 会议约有三百人参加。

      huì yì yuē yǒu sān bǎi rén cān jiā.

      About three hundred people attended the meeting.

    • 这件文物的历史约可追溯到一千年前。

      zhè jiàn wén wù de lì shǐ yuē kě zhuī sù dào yī qiān nián qián.

      The history of this artifact can be traced back to about a thousand years ago.

    Similar Grammar

    Expressing 'approximately' with 约 (yuē) | Chinese Grammar