<p><strong>多</strong> is a word that means &quot;<strong>more</strong>&quot;, or indicates greater quantity/amount by comparison.</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>多</strong>给我一點麵條 - give me a little <strong>more</strong> noodle.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>多</strong>做少說 - work <strong>more</strong>, speak less.</p>
</li>
<li><p>他賺的比較<strong>多</strong> - He makes/earns <strong>more</strong> (comparatively).</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>多</strong>子<strong>多</strong>孫<strong>多</strong>福氣 - <strong>more</strong> sons, <strong>more</strong> grandkids, and <strong>more</strong> good fortune.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>When modified by the adverb 很/许, <strong>很多/许多</strong> becomes a quantity word that means &quot;<strong>many</strong>&quot;, or &quot;<strong>very much/a lot (of)</strong>&quot;.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>我有<strong>很多</strong>書 - I have many books. Clearly, 我有多書 (I have more books), but 我有<strong>多種</strong>書 (I have <strong>many/all kinds</strong> of books) = 我有<strong>很多</strong>種類的書 (I have <strong>many/all</strong> kinds of books) is fine.</p>
</li>
<li><p>他賺的<strong>很多</strong> - He makes/earns &quot;<strong>very much/a lot</strong>&quot;.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>佷多</strong>子孫** - <strong>many</strong> offsprings.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Lastly,</p>
<ul>
<li>&quot;人<strong>佷多</strong> - <strong>a lot of</strong> people&quot; vs &quot;人<strong>多</strong>嘴雜 - <strong>more</strong> people more different ideas&quot;.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-12T17:15:38.470Z
Isn't 'more' 更多?  Or are 更多 and just 多 interchangeable when used before a noun?
Tosaku
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-12T17:22:04.060Z
@Tosaku Please provide example sentences.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-10T17:33:22.677Z
2023-06-10T17:33:22.677Z
r13
<p>Not always required!</p>
<p>A very good question, which I am not qualified to answer, but I will try anyway!</p>
<p>多：many, how many, multi-, multiple
许多： very many</p>
<p>I believe, 多 is an indefinite number. 很多 specifies 多 somewhat.</p>
<p>我有很多書。<br />
I have a lot of books.</p>
<p>This seems to be a question but is not good Chinese:</p>
<p>你有多書<br />
How many books do you have?</p>
<p>But that would be better like this:</p>
<p>你有多少书？</p>
<p>Use 多 alone:</p>
<p>此活动有多人参加？<br />
How many people participated in this event?</p>
<p>本仪式有多国代表参加？<br />
Are there representatives from multiple countries attending this ceremony?</p>
<p>这是个多人游戏？<br />
This is a game for how many people?</p>
<p>二十多个人<br />
more than 20 people</p>
<p>一滴它的毒素能杀死20多个人。<br />
One drop of its toxin can kill more than 20 people.</p>
<p>他们为今天的收入做出了许多个人牺牲。<br />
They have made many personal sacrifices to achieve today's income.</p>
<p>她挣很多钱。<br />
She earns a lot.</p>
<p>How much does she earn?<br />
她挣多少钱？</p>
<p>I have few books.<br />
我的书很少。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-10T08:28:05.467Z
2023-06-10T08:28:05.467Z
Pedroski
<p>When using 多 or 少 to modify a noun, is 很 required before it?</p>
<p>我有很多書。<br>
vs.<br>
我有多書。</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>人很多。<br>
vs.<br>
人多。</p>
<p>I keep seeing 很 before 多, but no where tells me if it's required or not.</p>

<syntax><yes-no-questions>
Using 多 or 少 to modify a noun
# Using 多 or 少 to modify a noun

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-10)

When using 多 or 少 to modify a noun, is 很 required before it?

我有很多書。  
vs.  
我有多書。

or

人很多。  
vs.  
人多。

I keep seeing 很 before 多, but no where tells me if it's required or not.

**Tags:** syntax, yes-no-questions


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-06-10. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

**多** is a word that means "**more**", or indicates greater quantity/amount by comparison.

* **多**给我一點麵條 - give me a little **more** noodle.
* **多**做少說 - work **more**, speak less.
* 他賺的比較**多** - He makes/earns **more** (comparatively).
* **多**子**多**孫**多**福氣 - **more** sons, **more** grandkids, and **more** good fortune.

When modified by the adverb 很/许, **很多/许多** becomes a quantity word that means "**many**", or "**very much/a lot (of)**".

* 我有**很多**書 - I have many books. Clearly, 我有多書 (I have more books), but 我有**多種**書 (I have **many/all kinds** of books) = 我有**很多**種類的書 (I have **many/all** kinds of books) is fine.
* 他賺的**很多** - He makes/earns "**very much/a lot**".
* **佷多**子孫\*\* - **many** offsprings.

Lastly,

* "人**佷多** - **a lot of** people" vs "人**多**嘴雜 - **more** people more different ideas".

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Isn't 'more' 更多?  Or are 更多 and just 多 interchangeable when used before a noun?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Please provide example sentences.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-10. Score: 1

Not always required!

A very good question, which I am not qualified to answer, but I will try anyway!

多：many, how many, multi-, multiple
许多： very many

I believe, 多 is an indefinite number. 很多 specifies 多 somewhat.

我有很多書。  
I have a lot of books.

This seems to be a question but is not good Chinese:

你有多書  
How many books do you have?

But that would be better like this:

你有多少书？

Use 多 alone:

此活动有多人参加？  
How many people participated in this event?

本仪式有多国代表参加？  
Are there representatives from multiple countries attending this ceremony?

这是个多人游戏？  
This is a game for how many people?

二十多个人  
more than 20 people

一滴它的毒素能杀死20多个人。  
One drop of its toxin can kill more than 20 people.

他们为今天的收入做出了许多个人牺牲。  
They have made many personal sacrifices to achieve today's income.

她挣很多钱。  
She earns a lot.

How much does she earn?  
她挣多少钱？

I have few books.  
我的书很少。


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