The key is position: 大概 dàgài and 大約大约 dàyuē come before the number, while 左右 zuǒyòu and 前後前后 qiánhòu come after it.
1大概 dàgài & 大約大约 dàyuē + Number
Both are often used to indicate a rough estimate or approximation. They can be translated to “approximately,” “about,” or “roughly,” and both go before the number. 大約大约 dàyuē is slightly more formal than 大概 dàgài.
你大概什麼時候來台灣？你大概什么时候来台湾？
When do you plan to come to Taiwan?
大概有五百人。大概有五百人。
There are approximately five hundred people.
請加入大約一杯的牛奶。请加入大约一杯的牛奶。
Please add about a cup of milk.
大約七點的時候，有一通你的電話。大约七点的时候，有一个你的电话。
Around seven o’clock, there was a phone call looking for you.
我大概還需要十分鐘。我大概还需要十分钟。
I probably need another ten minutes.
📌 大概 dàgài Can Also Mean “Probably”
Besides numbers, 大概 dàgài can show a guess about a situation — “probably.” 大約大约 dàyuē is mostly kept for numbers, times, and amounts.
他大概不會來了。他大概不会来了。
He’s probably not coming.
外面大概在下雨。外面大概在下雨。
It’s probably raining outside.
2Number + 左右 zuǒyòu
左右 zuǒyòu (literally “left and right”) goes after the number. It is often used in contexts related to numbers, amounts, or sizes — ages, prices, lengths of time and clock times all work.
我應該8點左右會到家。我应该8点左右会到家。
I should be home around 8 o’clock.
壽司，你買10盒左右應該就夠了。寿司，你买10盒左右应该就够了。
For sushi, buying around 10 boxes should be enough.
我每天走路三十分鐘左右。我每天走路三十分钟左右。
I walk for about thirty minutes every day.
她看起來二十五歲左右。她看起来二十五岁左右。
She looks about twenty-five.
📌 大概 dàgài + Number + 左右 zuǒyòu Together
In everyday speech, people often use both at once — 大概 dàgài before the number and 左右 zuǒyòu after it. Strictly speaking it doubles up, but it sounds completely natural.
這件衣服大概一千塊左右。这件衣服大概一千块左右。
This piece of clothing is about a thousand dollars.
3Time + 前後前后 qiánhòu
前後前后 qiánhòu (“before and after”) also goes after the number, but it is commonly used in contexts related to time and schedules: it follows a point in time — a clock time, a day, a month, or a holiday.
聖誕節前後的機票都很貴。圣诞节前后的机票都很贵。
Airfare around Christmas is expensive.
以前台灣的狗進了收容所後，在12天前後就會被安樂死。以前台湾的狗进了收容所后，在12天前后就会被安乐死。
Previously, in Taiwan, dogs in shelters used to be euthanized after around 12 days.
Here 12天 shí’èr tiān marks a point in time — “around day 12” after arriving.
🐾 The Vet Who ‘Euthanised’ Herself in Taiwan 🐾
Once, there was a female veterinarian who, out of her love for animals, gave up a lucrative veterinary job to work at an animal shelter. However, she never imagined that her first task would be euthanizing 60 cats and dogs. These abandoned animals were discarded for various reasons – some for being too noisy, some for being too quiet, some for being too aggressive, and others for being too docile and not suitable for guarding homes. People always find reasons to abandon them.
After returning home, the veterinarian cried all night. Then she decided to take adorable photos of these cats and dogs and share them online to increase adoption rates. However, the results were limited, and she even faced criticism from some “self-proclaimed justice warriors” who accused her of being an executioner. In the end, she kept the last dose of euthanasia drugs for herself, leaving a note for the world: “Life is equal.”
Afterward, Taiwan revised its laws and abolished euthanasia for animals.
晚上十點前後，我給你打電話。晚上十点前后，我给你打电话。
I’ll call you around ten tonight.
我們春節前後回老家。我们春节前后回老家。
We go back to our hometown around Chinese New Year.
左右 zuǒyòu vs 前後前后 qiánhòu
| 左右 zuǒyòu | 前後前后 qiánhòu |
|---|
| Clock time / month | 八點点左右 bā diǎn zuǒyòu ✅ | 八點点前後前后 bā diǎn qiánhòu ✅ |
| Holiday / event | less common | 聖誕節圣诞节前後前后 Shèngdànjié qiánhòu ✅ |
| Length of time | 三個个小時时左右 sān ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu ✅ | ✗ |
| Amount / age / size | 五百個个人左右 wǔbǎi ge rén zuǒyòu ✅ | ✗ |
4Adjacent Numbers — 三四 sān sì, 十七八 shíqī bā
This expression is a colloquial way of expressing approximate numbers in Chinese: say two neighboring numbers together, the smaller one first — 兩两三 liǎng sān (“two or three”), 七八 qī bā (“seven or eight”). No comma or dash goes between them in hanzi; with Arabic numerals, write 7、8.
1–2一兩两次yì liǎng cìonce or twice
2–3兩两三天liǎng sān tiāntwo or three days
17–18十七八歲岁shíqī bā suìseventeen or eighteen years old
200–300兩两三百塊块liǎng sānbǎi kuàitwo or three hundred kuai
Sept–Oct九十月jiǔ shí yuèSeptember or October
Examples
我大概去兩三天就回來了。我大概去两三天就回来了。
I’ll probably be back in two or three days.
我記得她好像今年十七八歲了。我记得她好像今年十七八岁了。
I remember she’s around seventeen or eighteen this year.
你說謊一兩次就算了，這麼多次要我怎麼幫你？你说谎一两次就算了，这么多次要我怎么帮你？
Telling a lie once or twice is fine, but how can I help you when it happens so many times?
這桌子不貴，就兩三百塊錢吧。这桌子不贵，就两三百块钱吧。
This table isn’t expensive, maybe just two or three hundred dollars.
他打算九十月的時候去加拿大玩。他打算九十月的时候去加拿大玩。
He plans to visit Canada around September or October.
📌 Watch Out for 九十 jiǔshí
With months, 九十月 jiǔ shí yuè clearly means “September or October.” But in front of a measure word, 九十 jiǔshí just means ninety — 九十個个人 jiǔshí ge rén is ninety people, not “nine or ten people.” For “nine or ten,” say 十個个左右 shí ge zuǒyòu instead.
5Common Mistakes
❌我等了三個小時前後。我等了三个小时前后。
✅我等了三個小時左右。我等了三个小时左右。
前後前后 qiánhòu follows a point in time. For a length of time, use 左右 zuǒyòu.
❌左右五百個人來了。左右五百个人来了。
✅大約五百個人來了。大约五百个人来了。
左右 zuǒyòu goes after the number; 大概 dàgài and 大約大约 dàyuē go before it.
❌我買了四三本書。我买了四三本书。
✅我買了三四本書。我买了三四本书。
With adjacent numbers, the smaller number always comes first.
6Practice
Try saying each sentence in Chinese, then tap to check.
01My budget is approximately around 5000 dollars.
我的預算大概在5000塊左右。我的预算大概在5000块左右。
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02He has done about 7 or 8 jobs.
他做過7、8份工作。他做过7、8份工作。
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03What time do we start tomorrow’s event, approximately?
明天的活動，我們大約幾點開始？明天的活动，我们大约几点开始？
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04This movie is about two hours long.
這部電影大概兩個小時。这部电影大概两个小时。
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05Let’s meet around three o’clock.
我們三點左右見面吧。我们三点左右见面吧。
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06Hotels are hard to book around Chinese New Year.
過年前後，飯店很難訂。过年前后，酒店很难订。
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07I only slept four or five hours last night.
我昨天晚上只睡了四五個小時。我昨天晚上只睡了四五个小时。
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08There are roughly thirty students in our class.
我們班大約有三十個學生。我们班大约有三十个学生。
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