Table of Contents

Grammar Point

多 duō

多 usually means “more” — but here it has a special job: turning a round number into “a bit more than that,” like saying “just over ten” or “over 30 dollars.” Where 多 goes in the sentence depends on one simple thing: whether the number itself is round (ends in a zero) or not.

一 When the Number Is Round

If the number ends in a zero — like 10, 30, 100, 150, or 1000 — 多 goes right after the number, before the measure word.

Number + 多 + Measure Word + Noun

我們wǒmen公司gōngsī有yǒu十shí多duō个ge员工yuángōng

We have more than ten employees in our company.

那nà支zhī手机shǒujī要yào三sān万wàn多duō块kuài钱qián

That mobile phone costs more than thirty thousand dollars.

这zhè本běn书shū有yǒu150多duō页yè

This book has more than 150 pages.

我wǒ做zuò这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn有yǒu320多duō天tiān了le

I have been working on this website for more than 320 days.

台湾Táiwān吃到饱chīdàobǎo的de餐厅cāntīng大部分dàbùfēn要yào一千yìqiān多duō块kuài钱qián

Most all-you-can-eat restaurants in Taiwan cost more than one thousand NT dollars.

吃到饱 (chī dào bǎo) literally means “eat until you’re full” — it’s the word for an all-you-can-eat buffet. Taiwan has all kinds: hot pot, barbecue, sushi, seafood, dessert bars — usually all for one fixed price.

我wǒ学xué了le30多duō年nián的de英文yīngwén，还是háishì说shuō得de不bù好hǎo

I have been studying English for more than 30 years, but I still can’t speak it well.

二 When the Number Isn’t Round

If the number does NOT end in a zero — like 5, 7, 4, 3, or 2 — 多 goes after the measure word instead.

Number + Measure Word + 多 (+ 的 + Noun)

我wǒ学xué了le5个ge多duō月yuè的de中文zhōngwén了le

I have been learning Chinese for more than five months.

她tā昨天zuótiān喝hē了le7杯bēi多duō的de啤酒píjiǔ

She drank more than seven beers yesterday.

这个zhège杯子bēizi只zhǐ要yào4块kuài多duō

This cup costs just over four dollars.

我wǒ女儿nǚér三sān岁suì多duō了le

My daughter is over three years old.

这zhè部bù电影diànyǐng看kàn完wán要yào两liǎng个ge多duō小时xiǎoshí

It takes over two hours to finish watching this movie.

三 A Quick Way to Remember

Not sure which one to use? Just check whether the number ends in a zero.

Round Number → 多 First

十shí多duō个ge

三sān万wàn多duō块kuài

一千yìqiān多duō块kuài

Not Round → 多 After

五wǔ个ge多duō月yuè

三sān岁suì多duō

两liǎng个ge多duō小时xiǎoshí

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 我們wǒmen公司gōngsī公司gōngsī有yǒu十shí個ge个ge多duō員工yuángōng员工yuángōng

✅ 我們wǒmen公司gōngsī公司gōngsī有yǒu十shí多duō個ge个ge員工yuángōng员工yuángōng

十 is a round number, so 多 goes right after it, before the measure word 個个 — not after it.

❌ 我wǒ學xué学xué了le5多duō個ge个ge月yuè的de中文zhōngwén了le

✅ 我wǒ學xué学xué了le5個ge个ge多duō月yuè的de中文zhōngwén了le

5 isn’t a round number, so 多 goes after the measure word 個个, not before it.

❌ 我wǒ女兒nǚér女儿nǚér三sān多duō歲suì岁suì了le

✅ 我wǒ女兒nǚér女儿nǚér三sān歲suì岁suì多duō了le

3 isn’t round either, so 多 comes after the measure word 歲岁, not squeezed in before it.

五 Practice

Pick the correctly ordered sentence.

Question 1 of 10

“This restaurant has more than 20 kinds of noodles.”

二十 (20) is round, so 多 goes right after it, before the measure word 种.

“He has more than 200 books.”

两百 (200) is round, so 多 goes right after it, before the measure word 本 — not after 本.

“I’ve lived here for more than 40 years.”

四十 (40) is round, so 多 goes right before 年, not after it.

“That building is more than 500 meters tall.”

五百 (500) is round, so 多 goes right after it, before 公尺 — not after 公尺.

“The concert had more than three thousand people.”

三千 (3,000) is round, so 多 goes right after the number, before 人 — not tacked on at the very end.

“I waited for more than three hours.”

三 (3) isn’t round, so 多 goes after the measure word 个, not before it.

“She bought more than two kilograms of apples.”

兩 (2) isn’t round, so 多 goes after 公斤, not before it.

“This puppy is more than four months old.”

四 (4) isn’t round, so 多 goes after the measure word 个, not before it.

“The flight was delayed more than one hour.”

一 (1) isn’t round, so 多 goes after the measure word 个, not before it.

“It takes more than seven minutes to cook this soup.”

七 (7) isn’t round, so 多 slots in between 分 and 钟, not before 分.

Express “more than” with 多 duō