How to Say “More Than a Number” with 多 (duō)
多 (duō) after a number means the real amount is a bit above it, the “more than / and then some” of English. The frame is Number + 多 + [measure word] (+ noun): 五十多岁 (“over fifty”), 一百多块 (“more than a hundred kuai”), 两千多年 (“over two thousand years”). Where 多 sits matters: 一百多个 is whole units more, while 一个多月 is a fraction of one more.
Why this trips learners up
To say a quantity is a bit more than some number, add 多 (duō) right after it: Number + 多 + [measure word] (+ noun). 我妈妈五十多岁 (“my mum is over fifty”), 这本书一百多块 (“this book is more than a hundred kuai”), 这座城有两千多年的历史 (“this city has over two thousand years of history”). It is the everyday way to be vague upward, much like Spanish “cincuenta y pico” or French “cinquante et quelques”.
The part that takes practice is where 多 goes, because its position tells you how big the “extra” is. Put 多 before the measure word and it means whole units more: the number is round and 多 stands in for the unknown ones digit. 三十多个 is “thirty-something” (anywhere from 30 to 39), 一百多块 is “a hundred-and-something kuai”. Put 多 after the measure word and it means a fraction of one more unit: 一个多月 is “a month and a bit” (between one and two months), 三个多小时 is “three-and-a-bit hours”.
Two things follow from that. First, you can’t hang 多 on an exact ones digit: 三十五多 makes no sense, because 多 is the unknown ones place. Say 三十多 (“thirty-something”) or 三十五 (“exactly thirty-five”), not both. Second, the round-number rule is why 多 sits before the unit there: 五十多岁, never 五十岁多.
One last detail: the time words 岁, 年 and 天 are their own measure words, so 多 attaches straight to them with no 个: 二十多岁, 一千多年, 十多天. The same before/after split still applies, just without an extra measure word: 八十多岁 (“eighty-something”) sets the round number ahead, while 一岁多 (“just over one”) puts the fraction after.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
zhè jiàn yīfu 这件衣服 Subject yì bǎi 一百 Number duō 多 Pattern kuài 块 Measure word qián 钱 Object
This piece of clothing costs more than a hundred kuai (round number, 多 before the unit).
wǒmen 我们 Subject děng 等 Verb le 了 Function word èrshí 二十 Number duō 多 Pattern fēnzhōng 分钟 Measure word
We waited more than twenty minutes (二十多 + 分钟).
tā yéye 他爷爷 Subject jīnnián 今年 Time bāshí 八十 Number duō 多 Pattern suì 岁 Measure word le 了 Function word
His grandpa is over eighty this year (岁 takes no measure word).
zhè chǎng yīnyuèhuì 这场音乐会 Subject lái 来 Verb le 了 Function word wǔ bǎi 五百 Number duō 多 Pattern rén 人 Object
More than five hundred people came to this concert (五百多 + 人).
wǒ 我 Subject zài zhè jiā gōngsī 在这家公司 Place gōngzuò 工作 Verb le 了 Function word sān 三 Number gè 个 Measure word duō 多 Pattern yuè 月 Object
I’ve worked at this company for over three months (三个多月, 多 after the measure word: a fraction more).
zhè tàng huǒchē 这趟火车 Subject kāi 开 Verb le 了 Function word wǔ 五 Number gè 个 Measure word duō 多 Pattern xiǎoshí 小时 Object
This train ran for over five hours (五个多小时: five hours and a bit).
wǒmen gōngsī 我们公司 Subject qùnián 去年 Time zhāo 招 Verb le 了 Function word yì bǎi 一百 Number duō 多 Pattern gè 个 Measure word xīnrén 新人 Object
Our company hired more than a hundred new people last year (一百多个, 多 before the measure word).
wǒ nǚ’ér 我女儿 Subject cái 才 Adverb yī 一 Number suì 岁 Measure word duō 多 Pattern jiù huì shuōhuà le 就会说话了 Other
My daughter could already talk at just over one year old (一岁多: small number, 多 after, and 岁 takes no measure word).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: With a round number, 多 goes before the unit, not after: “thirty-something kuai” is 三十多块钱, never 三十块钱多. The extra (the unknown ones digit) belongs right after the round number.
Why it happens: 多 stands in for the unknown ones digit, so you can’t add it to an exact one. Say 三十多个 (“thirty-something”) or 三十五个 (“exactly thirty-five”), but not 三十五多个.
Why it happens: For a fraction of one more unit, 多 goes after the measure word, and you keep the 个: “more than an hour” is 一个多小时, not 一多小时. Drop the 个 or move 多 forward and it breaks.
Compare & contrast
| 多 before the measure word: whole units more | 多 after the measure word: a fraction more | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 两百多块liǎng bǎi duō kuài | 两块多liǎng kuài duō | 两百多块 is 200-plus whole kuai (somewhere from 200 to 299): 多 before the unit fills the unknown ones place. 两块多 is 2 kuai and some small change: 多 after the unit adds a fraction of one more. |
| 十多个小时shí duō gè xiǎoshí | 一个多小时yí gè duō xiǎoshí | 十多个小时 is ten-something whole hours (10 to 19): 多 before 个 counts whole units. 一个多小时 is one hour plus some minutes: 多 after 个 means a fraction into the next hour. |
Try it yourself
Say “His grandpa is over eighty (years old).” It’s a round number, so 多 goes before 岁, and 岁 takes no measure word.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “More Than a Number” with 多 (duō) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.