Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 很多 | hěnduō |
| 多 | duō |
| 好多 | hǎoduō |
| 許多 / 许多 | xǔduō |
These terms are used to describe an indefinite large number of something. While 多 is the core component meaning 'many', other forms like 很多, 好多 and 许多 are used to express varying degrees of quantity and formality. In professional or technical contexts, the term 大量 is used to emphasize an abundance or a large quantity.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 很多 is composed of 很, meaning 'very' and 多, meaning 'many'. Together, they literally translate to 'very many'.
Which one should you use?
好多 is more colloquial and carries a stronger sense of exclamation or emphasis, similar to saying 'so many' or 'a lot of'. For a more formal or literary tone, use 许多, which is equivalent to 'many' or 'numerous'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the form 太多了, adding the particle 了 to the end of 多 expresses that there are 'too many' of something, often implying an excessive or undesirable amount.
How do you pronounce it?
hěnduō
Did you know?
- The current form of 多 looks like two 'evening' characters 夕 stacked together. This happened because the ancient symbol for 'meat' was visually corrupted over time.
- While English uses 'many' for countable items and 'much' for uncountable ones, Chinese often uses 很多 as a versatile tool that can describe almost any large quantity.
Examples in context
- 很多人做夢。Many people dream.This sentence shows how to use 多 to describe people dreaming.Tatoeba #3742389 by egg0073, translation #7779335 by sharris123
- 你问题太多了You ask too many questions.This sentence demonstrates using 多 to express that there are too many questions.Tatoeba #5975075 by zhangxr91, translation #3170990 by CK
- 有很多人嗎？Are there many people?This sentence uses 多 to ask if there are many people.Tatoeba #6152672 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276526 by Kiwi
- 我有很多朋友。I have many friends.
- 这个城市有许多历史悠久的建筑。This city has many historic buildings.
- 这家公司拥有大量的客户。This company has a large number of customers.
- 我今天看到好多人在商场里。I saw many people at the mall today.
- 我收到一大堆礼物。I received a bunch of gifts.
- 599 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jiayi and Zhiqiang are walking through a crowded park.
- 佳怡 Jiayi公园里有很多人。Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěnduō rén.There are many people in the park.
- 志强 Zhiqiang是的，今天很热闹。Shì de, jīntiān hěn rènào.Yes, it's very lively today.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，我们要去哪里？Zhìqiáng, wǒmen yào qù nǎlǐ?Zhiqiang, where are we going?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们去那边的咖啡馆吧。Wǒmen qù nàbiān de kāfēiguǎn ba.Let's go to the cafe over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “many” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 多, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
