几
how many (small number); a few; several
HSK level
- Pinyin
- jǐ
- Part of speech
- pronoun
- Level
- HSK 1
- Strokes
- 2
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 几
几 is written with 2 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 几 mean?
几 (jǐ) does two related jobs.
As a question word, it asks 'how many' when the expected answer is a small number — usually under ten. 几点？ asks 'what time?' (literally 'how many o'clock'), 几个人？ asks 'how many people?' (assuming a few). For larger or unknown quantities, use 多少 (duōshao) instead.
As a non-question word, 几 means 'a few / several': 几个朋友 means 'a few friends.' Crucially, 几 ALWAYS takes a measure word: 几个人 (how many people), 几本书 (how many books), 几岁 (how old, for a small child) — never 几人 or 几书. This is the opposite of 多少, which can drop the measure word. Asking a small child their age uses 几岁; an adult uses 多大.
Example sentences
你有几个孩子？
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè háizi?
How many children do you have?
spoken
现在几点？
Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it now?
spoken
他几岁了？
Tā jǐ suì le?
How old is he? (asking about a small child)
spoken
我买了几本书。
Wǒ mǎi le jǐ běn shū.
I bought a few books.
neutral
Common phrases with 几
Synonyms
Don't confuse 几 with
机 ('machine / opportunity', first tone) shares the same right side. Different character (has a 木 radical added), different meaning, different tone.
已 ('already') looks similar in some fonts but is a completely different character. 几 has an open top and curved hook; 已 is a closed shape.
FAQ
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