Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:48 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:48 PM 我们的阅览室有几千册图书。 How can this be translated? I mean, I don't understand the 几千 part. Quote
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:50 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:50 PM "several thousand" Quote
Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:14 PM Author Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:14 PM I did not know it could mean several. 谢谢你。 Are there any other meanings or uses other than that and 几月几号？ Quote
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:22 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:22 PM yes, be aware that it can also be read in the first tone, where it then means "almost, nearly", as in 几乎. Quote
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:28 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:28 PM Also, I just realised, maybe what made it problematic for you to understand 几 in your sentence above: question words can also be used in an indefinite sense, i.e. 谁 can mean "somebody", 什么 "something", and 几 "several, some" etc. Quote
jbradfor Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:57 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:57 PM It can also be used as a question meaning "how many", when the expected answer is around 1-9. For example, changing you sentence slightly, 你的阅览室有几千册图书？ Can translate as "Your library has HOW many thousands of book?" Quote
Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 08:57 PM Author Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 08:57 PM 如果我努力学习汉语，几年以后。。。。。 Means 〉If I study mandarin hard， within a few years。。。 thank you for all the answers！ Quote
trien27 Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:21 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:21 PM (edited) Literally, 我们的阅览室有几千册图书。means "There are several thousand picture books in our study/reading room." 我们的 = Our 阅览室 = Study / reading room 有 = Here is , here are ; There is, there are [有 = sometimes translated as "Here is" / "Here are" or "There is"/ "There are" depending on the situation, because there's no such separate distinction in Chinese as there is in English.] ; "To have, has; exist, exists, etc... 几千 = several thousand 册 = ancient Chinese bamboo scrolls; pamphlet; "book". Sometimes used as a measure word for "books". 图书 = picture books. "如果我努力学习汉语，几年以后。。。。。Means 〉If I study mandarin hard， within a few years。。。" I'm glad you didn't say .... 几千年以后. Edited January 10, 2010 at 10:37 PM by trien27 Quote
HashiriKata Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:29 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:29 PM I'm glad you didn't say .... 几千年以后. Why not? 如果我努力学习汉语，几千年以后我能不能说得好？ Quote
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:39 PM Report Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:39 PM 图书 = picture books. not "picture books", but "books" in general. (cf. 图书馆） Quote
Hofmann Posted February 7, 2010 at 06:49 PM Report Posted February 7, 2010 at 06:49 PM I'm finding a 市朱切 (zhu1/shu1) and 居履切 (ji3, but not homophonous with 幾) for 几, but no ji1-like 反切. I suspect the "table" definition came from 机 (ji1). I wonder what zhu1/shu1 and ji3 mean. Quote
Inkfish Posted February 16, 2010 at 10:24 AM Report Posted February 16, 2010 at 10:24 AM as far as i remember, 幾 is a 通假字 to 機. but i could be wrong:D Quote
lacrimosa1983 Posted April 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM Report Posted April 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM 几千：thousands 几百：hundreds 几年前：years ago 几年后：years later 你几岁了？or你多大了？how old are you 几点：what time 有几个？(question)：how many 有几个（statement）：few 几乎：almostly above are the most used case of 几 in Chinese Quote
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