A2 noun Neutral 3 min read

多少张

duoshaozhang duō shǎo zhāng
Practice it Notes & Tips

Overview

The Chinese phrase '多少张' (duō shǎo zhāng) is a versatile and common expression used to inquire about the quantity of items that are typically counted with the measure word '张' (zhāng). This measure word '张' is applied to flat, thin objects, or surfaces. Understanding '多少张' requires an understanding of both '多少' (duō shǎo) and '张' (zhāng).

'多少' (duō shǎo) directly translates to 'how many' or 'how much' and is used to ask about an indefinite quantity. It's generally preferred when the expected answer might be more than ten, or when the speaker doesn't have a strong presumption about the quantity. For smaller, more precise quantities (like under ten), one might sometimes use '几' (jǐ), though '多少' is broadly applicable.

'张' (zhāng) is a crucial measure word. It's used for:

  1. 1Flat, thin objects: This is its most common application. Examples include:
  • 纸 (zhǐ - paper): 多少张纸 (duō shǎo zhāng zhǐ - how many sheets of paper)
  • 照片 (zhào piàn - photo): 多少张照片 (duō shǎo zhāng zhào piàn - how many photos)
  • 票 (piào - ticket): 多少张票 (duō shǎo zhāng piào - how many tickets)
  • 光盘 (guāng pán - CD/DVD): 多少张光盘 (duō shǎo zhāng guāng pán - how many CDs/DVDs)
  • 银行卡 (yín háng kǎ - bank card): 多少张银行卡 (duō shǎo zhāng yín háng kǎ - how many bank cards)

**Surfaces or items with a surface:**

  • 桌子 (zhuō zi - table): 多少张桌子 (duō shǎo zhāng zhuō zi - how many tables)
  • 床 (chuáng - bed): 多少张床 (duō shǎo zhāng chuáng - how many beds)
  • 脸 (liǎn - face, though '一张脸' can describe someone's face, asking '多少张脸' would be unusual unless referring to images of faces).
  • 弓 (gōng - bow, as in archer's bow): 多少张弓 (duō shǎo zhāng gōng - how many bows)

**Objects that can be spread out:**

  • 嘴 (zuǐ - mouth, as in '一张嘴' to describe a mouth, or generally in expressions).

Structure: The typical structure for asking 'how many [item]' with '张' is: '多少' + '张' + [Noun].

Examples in context:

  • 你买了多少张票？ (Nǐ mǎi le duō shǎo zhāng piào? - How many tickets did you buy?)
  • 房间里有多少张桌子？ (Fáng jiān lǐ yǒu duō shǎo zhāng zhuō zi? - How many tables are in the room?)
  • 你打印了多少张纸？ (Nǐ dǎ yìn le duō shǎo zhāng zhǐ? - How many sheets of paper did you print?)
  • 请给我拿多少张纸巾？ (Qǐng gěi wǒ ná duō shǎo zhāng zhǐ jīn? - Please bring me how many tissues?)

In essence, '多少张' is the direct and common way to quantify flat or surface-based items in Chinese, forming a fundamental part of everyday interrogative sentences.

Examples

1

我需要多少张纸？

问及纸张数量

How many sheets of paper do I need?

2

这个房间里有多少张桌子？

问及桌子数量

How many tables are in this room?

3

你买了多少张票？

问及票据数量

How many tickets did you buy?

4

请给我多少张信纸？

请求信纸数量

Please give me how many sheets of stationery?

5

会议室里有多少张椅子？

问及椅子数量

How many chairs are in the meeting room?

Common Collocations

多少张纸
多少张票
多少张照片
多少张桌子

Often Confused With

多少张 vs 多少

The word '多少' means 'how many' or 'how much' and can be used independently or with other measure words. The phrase '多少张' specifically means 'how many sheets/pieces' (for flat objects). For example, '你有多少张票？' (How many tickets do you have?) vs. '你有多少钱？' (How much money do you have?)

多少张 vs 几张

Both '多少张' and '几张' mean 'how many sheets/pieces'. However, '几张' is generally used when the expected number is relatively small (usually less than ten), while '多少张' is used for a larger or unknown quantity. For instance, '你有几张票？' (How many tickets do you have? - implying a small number) vs. '你们公司有多少张桌子？' (How many tables does your company have? - implying a potentially large number).

Grammar Patterns

多少张 + Noun (e.g., 票 - ticket, 纸 - paper, 桌子 - table) Verb + 多少张 + Noun (e.g., 买 - to buy, 借 - to borrow, 打印 - to print) Noun + 有 + 多少张 (e.g., 教室 - classroom, 商店 - store)

How to Use It

'多少张' is used to inquire about the quantity of objects that typically take '张' (zhāng) as their measure word. It directly precedes the noun being asked about, often with the measure word '张' placed between '多少' and the noun, although sometimes it can be implied if the context is clear. For example, when asking about the number of tickets, you could say '多少张票?' (duō shǎo zhāng piào?). When asking about the number of photos, it would be '多少张照片?' (duō shǎo zhāng zhào piàn?). It's important to remember that '张' is specific to flat, thin items, and using it with other types of objects would be grammatically incorrect. For instance, you wouldn't use '张' for books (which use '本' - běn) or cars (which use '辆' - liàng). Therefore, understanding the correct measure word for a given noun is crucial when using '多少张' effectively.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing '多少' (duōshǎo) with '几个' (jǐ ge). '多少' is used for a larger or unknown quantity, while '几个' is for a smaller, countable quantity (usually less than 10). Another mistake is omitting the measure word '张' when asking about flat objects. Always remember to pair '多少' with the appropriate measure word for the noun you are quantifying. Forgetting the tones can also lead to misunderstandings; 'duō' (first tone) and 'shǎo' (third tone) are crucial for correct pronunciation.

Tips

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Usage of 多少 (duōshǎo) with Measure Words

In Chinese, 多少 (duōshǎo) is used to ask 'how many' or 'how much'. When asking about countable nouns, it's almost always followed by a measure word, just like '张 (zhāng)' in '多少张'. 张 (zhāng) is a common measure word used for flat, thin objects like paper, tables, tickets, photos, and even faces. Understanding the appropriate measure word to use with different nouns is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences.

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Distinction between 多少 (duōshǎo) and 几 (jǐ)

While both 多少 (duōshǎo) and 几 (jǐ) mean 'how many', there's a subtle but important difference. 几 (jǐ) is typically used when you expect a small number (usually under ten), and it's always followed by a measure word. 多少 (duōshǎo) is used when you expect a larger, unspecified number, or when you genuinely don't know the approximate quantity. In the context of '多少张', it implies that the number of sheets or tables could be quite large or unknown.

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Examples of 多少张 (duōshǎo zhāng) in context

Here are a few examples to illustrate the usage of '多少张': 1. 你有多少张票？ (Nǐ yǒu duōshǎo zhāng piào?) - How many tickets do you have? 2. 这张桌子有多少张纸？ (Zhè zhāng zhuōzi yǒu duōshǎo zhāng zhǐ?) - How many sheets of paper are on this table? 3. 教室里有多少张桌子？ (Jiàoshì lǐ yǒu duōshǎo zhāng zhuōzi?) - How many tables are in the classroom? These examples show how '多少张' is flexibly used with various flat or table-like objects.

Word Origin

The word '多少张' (duōshǎo zhāng) in Chinese is a combination of several characters, each contributing to its meaning of asking 'how many (sheets/tables/etc.)'. '多' (duō) means 'many' or 'much'. Its origins can be traced back to ancient pictograms representing two pieces of meat side-by-side, symbolizing abundance. Over time, its meaning evolved to encompass the concept of a large quantity. '少' (shǎo) means 'few' or 'little'. The character originally depicted grains of sand or small particles, conveying the idea of a small amount. In modern usage, it directly contrasts with '多', indicating scarcity. When '多' and '少' are combined as '多少' (duōshǎo), they form an interrogative phrase meaning 'how many' or 'how much'. This construction is common in Chinese for forming questions about quantity, by presenting both extremes of a spectrum (many and few) to inquire about the specific point in between. '张' (zhāng) is a measure word. Its original meaning was related to 'drawing a bow' or 'spreading out'. This led to its use as a measure word for flat, spread-out objects. Over centuries, its application expanded to include a wide variety of items that are typically flat, such as sheets of paper, tickets, tables, beds, and even faces in some idiomatic expressions. The character itself is composed of '弓' (gōng), meaning 'bow', and '长' (cháng), meaning 'long', which reinforces its connection to stretching or extending. Therefore, '多少张' literally translates to 'many-few (measure word for flat objects)', which effectively communicates the question 'how many sheets/tables/etc.?' in a concise and grammatically correct manner in Chinese. The combination of '多少' as an interrogative and '张' as a specific measure word allows for precise questioning about the quantity of flat or spread-out items.

Cultural Context

The phrase '多少张' (duō shǎo zhāng) in Chinese literally translates to 'how many sheets/pieces' or 'how many units'. The character '张' (zhāng) is a common measure word that refers to flat, thin objects like paper, tables, tickets, photos, or even faces. Culturally, its usage is straightforward and practical, primarily for quantifying items. There isn't significant deep cultural context beyond its grammatical function as a interrogative quantifier. It's frequently used in daily life when asking about quantities of such items in shops, offices, or homes. For example, when buying paper, '多少张纸?' (duō shǎo zhāng zhǐ?) means 'how many sheets of paper?'. When asking about the number of tables, it would be '多少张桌子?' (duō shǎo zhāng zhuō zi?).

Memory Tip

Visualize a stack of paper or multiple tables. The character '多' (duō) means 'many' and resembles two '夕' (xī) characters, which means 'evening' or 'night.' Imagine many evenings passing, signifying a large quantity. The character '少' (shǎo) means 'few' and looks like a small sprinkle. '张' (zhāng) is a measure word for flat objects. Think of a stretching bow (弓) over a long (长) sheet of paper. So, '多少张' literally asks 'many few sheets?' meaning 'how many sheets?'.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

'多少张' (duō shǎo zhāng) directly translates to 'how many sheets/pieces'. It's used to inquire about the quantity of items that are typically counted with the measure word '张 (zhāng)'. This measure word is commonly used for flat, thin objects like paper, tickets, photos, and tables. So, when you use '多少张', you are asking 'how many sheets of paper?', 'how many tickets?', 'how many photos?', or 'how many tables?', depending on the context. It's a fundamental phrase for asking about quantity in Mandarin Chinese.

You can use '多少张' by placing it before the noun you are asking about, or at the end of a sentence. For example: 1. **Before the noun:** 你有**多少张**票？ (Nǐ yǒu **duō shǎo zhāng** piào?) - How many tickets do you have? 2. **At the end of a sentence (with an implied noun):** 这本书里有**多少张**？ (Zhè běn shū lǐ yǒu **duō shǎo zhāng**?) - How many pages (sheets of paper) are in this book? It's a versatile phrase for inquiring about the quantity of objects counted with '张'.

The measure word '张' (zhāng) is used for a variety of flat, thin, or expansive objects. Common examples include: * **Paper:** 纸 (zhǐ) - 一张纸 (yī zhāng zhǐ - a sheet of paper) * **Tickets:** 票 (piào) - 两张票 (liǎng zhāng piào - two tickets) * **Photos/Pictures:** 照片 (zhàopiàn) / 画 (huà) - 三张照片 (sān zhāng zhàopiàn - three photos) * **Tables:** 桌子 (zhuōzi) - 四张桌子 (sì zhāng zhuōzi - four tables) * **Beds:** 床 (chuáng) - 一张床 (yī zhāng chuáng - a bed) * **Faces:** 脸 (liǎn) - 一张脸 (yī zhāng liǎn - a face) * **CDs/Discs:** 光盘 (guāngpán) - 五张光盘 (wǔ zhāng guāngpán - five CDs) Essentially, if it's generally flat, thin, or has an expansive surface, '张' is a likely measure word.

'多少' (duō shǎo) is a general interrogative pronoun meaning 'how many' or 'how much'. It can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns, often without a specific measure word when the noun is implied or when referring to a general quantity. For example, '多少钱?' (duō shǎo qián?) - 'How much money?' '多少张' (duō shǎo zhāng), on the other hand, is more specific. It combines '多少' with the measure word '张' (zhāng), indicating that you are asking about the quantity of items that are specifically counted using '张'. So, while '多少' is general, '多少张' narrows the query to items like paper, tickets, tables, etc. It's like asking 'how many' versus 'how many sheets/pieces'.

Test Yourself

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你有_______纸？ (How many sheets of paper do you have?)

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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这个饭店有_______桌子？ (How many tables does this restaurant have?)

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
fill blank

你买了_______票？ (How many tickets did you buy?)

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Score: /3

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