<p>Both are correct. 多少个人 = 几个人. The latter is the same as 多少人, which is more common in daily use. 多少个人 is more of formal use.</p>
<p>Note that &quot;个&quot; shouldn't be used when you say/ask &quot;多少位&quot;, which is identical to &quot;几位&quot;. This phrase is more polite, especially for people in the position that provide services.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-11T16:06:35.073Z
2021-09-11T16:16:13.587Z
2021-09-11T16:16:13.587Z
r13
<p>多少个人 is not incorrect, just less common.  The &quot;个&quot; is indeed optional, so you can say either 多少人 or 多少个人.  Probably just an editing oversight in the textbook.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-11T15:54:52.573Z
2021-09-11T15:54:52.573Z
Evelyn
<p>Depending on context.</p>
<p>E.g. 多少人活着却如同死去. It's stilted to say 多少个人活着却如同死去.</p>
<p>你家里有多少人?  It's ok to say 你家里有多少个人?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-12T22:28:46.773Z
2021-09-12T22:28:46.773Z
dan
<p>I was studying Chinese grammar from a textbook. Somewhere in the book, it explains the difference between 几 and 多少. The book says that 几 needs a classifier. But using a classifier with 多少 is optional.
It also gives some examples, like
多少（张）照片，多少（个）朋友，多少（个）系
But when it reaches 人, it writes:
多少人 not 多少（个）人</p>
<p>I wonder if 多少个人 is incorrect or obsolete?</p>

<grammar><measure-word>
Is 多少个人 incorrect?
# Is 多少个人 incorrect?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-09-11)

I was studying Chinese grammar from a textbook. Somewhere in the book, it explains the difference between 几 and 多少. The book says that 几 needs a classifier. But using a classifier with 多少 is optional.
It also gives some examples, like
多少（张）照片，多少（个）朋友，多少（个）系
But when it reaches 人, it writes:
多少人 not 多少（个）人

I wonder if 多少个人 is incorrect or obsolete?

**Tags:** grammar, measure-word


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-09-11. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Both are correct. 多少个人 = 几个人. The latter is the same as 多少人, which is more common in daily use. 多少个人 is more of formal use.

Note that "个" shouldn't be used when you say/ask "多少位", which is identical to "几位". This phrase is more polite, especially for people in the position that provide services.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-09-11. Score: 3

多少个人 is not incorrect, just less common. The "个" is indeed optional, so you can say either 多少人 or 多少个人. Probably just an editing oversight in the textbook.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2021-09-12. Score: 0

Depending on context.

E.g. 多少人活着却如同死去. It's stilted to say 多少个人活着却如同死去.

你家里有多少人? It's ok to say 你家里有多少个人?


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