多 + Adj. (asking degree)

• Pinyin: duō
• Formation: Subject + 多 + Adj. ?
• Hanzi breakdown: 多 = 夕 (evening) + 夕 (evening)

Meaning

The word 多 (duō) is placed before an adjective in a question to ask about the degree or extent of a quality, such as height, length, age, or distance. It functions like English 'how + adjective.'

When 多 appears before an adjective in a question, it asks for a measurement or extent — 多大 (how old/how big), 多高 (how tall), 多远 (how far), 多长 (how long). The answer typically provides a specific number or measurement. Note that 多 in this usage is restricted to questions and certain exclamatory sentences; in statements, you would use specific measurements instead. The adjective following 多 is usually monosyllabic. This pattern differs from 多么 (duōme), which is used in exclamations rather than questions. Common pairings include 多大, 多高, 多远, 多长, 多重, and 多快.

Examples

1. 你今年多大了？ How old are you this year?
2. 从这里到火车站多远？ How far is it from here to the train station?
3. 这棵树多高？ How tall is this tree?

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: interrogative

Do Say

• 这条河多宽？
• 你每天上班的路多长？
• 这个箱子多重？我帮你搬。

Don't Say

• 他多很高？(多 and 很 cannot appear together before the adjective — 多 already functions as the degree question word) → 他多高？
• 这个多漂亮？(多 in questions is typically used with measurable adjectives, not subjective ones like 漂亮 — use 有多漂亮 instead) → 这个有多漂亮？

Origin & History

The character 多 originally meant 'many' or 'much.' Its use in degree questions developed naturally from the idea of asking 'how much' of a quality something possesses, evolving into a standard interrogative pattern in modern Mandarin.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal