Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:48 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:50 PM Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 at 05:50 PM "several thousand" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:14 PM Author Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:22 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:28 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted January 10, 2010 at 06:57 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kai13 Posted January 10, 2010 at 08:57 PM Author Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trien27 Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:21 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:29 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrix Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:39 PM Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 at 10:39 PM 图书 = picture books. not "picture books", but "books" in general. (cf. 图书馆） Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hofmann Posted February 7, 2010 at 06:49 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkfish Posted February 16, 2010 at 10:24 AM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lacrimosa1983 Posted April 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM Report Share 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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