幾乎 / 几乎
jīhū
The English word 'almost' can be translated into Chinese using several forms, most commonly 幾乎 / 几乎 (jīhū). Wiktionary also lists 差點 / 差点 (chàdiǎn) and 差一點 / 差一点 (chāyīdiǎn).
Meaning: very close to (adv)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 幾乎 / 几乎 | jīhū |
| 差點 / 差点 | chàdiǎn |
| 差一點 / 差一点 | chāyīdiǎn |
| 差不多 | chàbuduō |
In Chinese, several words express the concept of 'almost' depending on whether you are describing a quantity, a state or an event that nearly occurred.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 差不多 literally means 'to lack' or 'to be short of' (差) 'much' or 'many' (多).
Which one should you use?
幾乎 / 几乎 is used to emphasize that a situation is very close to a certain state or degree, often appearing in more formal or descriptive contexts. Use 差不多 when expressing that a quantity, time or state is approximately or nearly a certain level. While both can mean 'almost', 差不多 often carries the nuance of 'about' or 'roughly'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 差点 to mean that something 'almost happened' (usually a negative event), it is often followed directly by a verb, such as 差点忘了 (almost forgot).
How do you pronounce it?
jīhū
Did you know?
- The phrase 差不多先生 refers to a famous satirical character created by writer Hu Shih to mock the 'almost-correct' attitude of people who lack precision and rigor.
- In Chinese, if you say you 差点 (chàdiǎn) died, it means you actually survived. Using this word for a negative event implies the disaster was avoided by a hair's breadth.
- In casual speech, calling a person 差不多 (chàbuduō) can be a subtle way of saying they are 'mediocre' or 'just average'.
Examples in context
- 差不多六点了。It's almost six o'clock.This sentence shows how to use 差不多 regarding time.Tatoeba #609853 by CLARET, translation #41220 by CK
- 她差不多有20岁。She is almost 20 years old.This sentence shows how to use 差不多 regarding age.Tatoeba #1423341 by sadhen, translation #7768854 by sharris123
- 湯姆差不多有六呎高。Tom is almost six feet tall.This sentence shows how to use 差不多 regarding height.Tatoeba #6678461 by verdastelo9604, translation #3921229 by CK
- 我差不多完成了这个项目。I've almost completed this project.
- 你的答案和我的差不多。Your answer is almost the same as mine.
- 我们的会议快要开始了。Our meeting is about to start.
- 他们的产品快要上市了。Their product is almost ready for market.
- 我快吃完了。I'm almost done eating.
- 太好了，我快到了。Great, I'm almost there.
- 我差点儿忘了带钥匙。I almost forgot to bring the keys.
- 差点儿被雨淋湿了。I almost got soaked by the rain.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “almost” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
