dàyuē dàgài zuǒyòu qiánhòu

Approximate Number 2 – dàyuē, dàgài, zuǒyòu, qiánhòu

Posted on by tiffany

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, there are several words and phrases used to express approximate numbers or quantities. Four common ones are 大概 dàgài, 大约 dàyuē, 左右 zuǒyòu and 前后 qiánhòu.

Dàgài & Dàyuē

Both of them often used to indicate a rough estimate or approximation. They can be translated to “approximately,” “about,” or “roughly.” 大约 dàyuē is slightly more formal than 大概 dàgài.

你nǐ大概dàgài什么shénme时候shíhou来lái台湾Táiwān？
When do you plan to come to Taiwan?

大概dàgài有yǒu五百wǔbǎi人rén
There are approximately five hundred people.

请qǐng加入jiārù大约dàyuē一杯yìbēi的de牛奶niúnǎi
Please add about a cup of milk.

大约dàyuē七点qīdiǎn的de时候shíhou， 有yǒu一yì通tōng你的nǐde电话diànhuà
Around seven o’clock, there was a phone call looking for you.

我wǒ大概dàgài还hái需要xūyào十shí分钟fēnzhōng
I probably need another ten minutes.

Zuǒyòu & Qiánhòu

In Chinese, the terms 左右 zuǒyòu and 前后 qiánhòu are also often used to express approximate numbers or quantities. 左右 zuǒyòu is often used in contexts related to numbers, amounts, or sizes. 前后 qiánhòu is commonly used in contexts related to time, schedules, or durations.

Numbers +zuǒyòu/qiánhòu

我wǒ应该yīnggāi8 点diǎn左右zuǒyòu会huì到dào家jiā
I should be home around 8 o’clock.

寿司shòusī， 你nǐ买mǎi10 盒hé左右zuǒyòu应该yīnggāi就jiù够gòu了le
For sushi, buying around 10 boxes should be enough.

圣诞节shèngdànjié前后qiánhòu的de机票jīpiào都dōu很hěn贵guì
Airfare around Christmas is expensive.

以前yǐqián台湾Táiwān的de狗gǒu进了jìnle收容所shōuróngsuǒ后hòu， 在zài12 天tiān前后qiánhòu就jiù会huì被bèi安乐死ānlèsǐ
Previously, in Taiwan, dogs in shelters used to be euthanized after around 12 days.

🐾 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.

Numbers

This expression is a colloquial way of expressing approximate numbers in Chinese.

我wǒ大概dàgài去qù两三liǎngsān天tiān就jiù回来huílái了le
I’ll probably be back in two or three days.

我wǒ记得jìdé她tā好像hǎoxiàng今年jīnnián十shí七qī八bā岁suì了le
I remember she’s around seventeen or eighteen this year.

你nǐ说谎shuōhuǎng一yì两liǎng次cì就jiù算了suànle， 这么zhème多duō次cì要yào我wǒ怎么zěnme帮bāng你nǐ
Telling a lie once or twice is fine, but how can I help you when it happens so many times?

这zhè桌子zhuōzi不bú贵guì， 就jiù两liǎng三sān百bǎi块kuài钱qián吧ba
This table isn’t expensive, maybe just two or three hundred dollars.

他tā打算dǎsuàn九jiǔ十shí月yuè的时候deshíhou去qù加拿大jiānádà玩wán
He plans to visit Canada around September.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ My budget is approximately around 5000 dollars.

我的wǒde预算yùsuàn大概dàgài在zài5000 块kuài左右zuǒyòu

✔️ He has done about 7 or 8 jobs.

他tā做zuò过guò7、8 份fèn工作gōngzuò

✔️ What time do we start tomorrow’s event, approximately?

明天míngtiān的de活动huódòng， 我们wǒmen大约dàyuē几jǐ点diǎn开始kāishǐ？

Do you like it? 🙂