Chinese Grammar Intermediate - Expressing Quantity

Introduction

Intermediate Mandarin is less about isolated rules and more about combining patterns to sound precise, natural, and responsive. This chapter focuses on expressing quantity, collecting the structures Chinese speakers rely on when they need to handle that idea naturally.

From 两三 (number approximation) to 所有 (all), you'll practise the contrasts, sequencing, and sentence-building choices that make intermediate Chinese feel more flexible and exact.

Themes

All Chinese Grammar Intermediate in This Chapter (8)

1. 两三 (number approximation) liǎng sān In Chinese, placing two consecutive numbers together expresses an approximate quantity, similar to 'two or three' or 'about four or five'...
2. 有的 (some) yǒude 有的 is used to express 'some' within a group, often in a contrasting pair: 有的...有的... (some...some...). It functions as a pronoun or deter...
3. 谁都 / 什么都 (every) dōu In Chinese, question words like 谁 (who), 什么 (what), 哪儿 (where), and 什么时候 (when) become universal quantifiers meaning 'everyone,' 'everyth...
4. 一 + MW + 一 + MW (one by one) yī The pattern 一 + measure word + 一 + measure word creates an adverbial phrase meaning 'one by one' or 'piece by piece,' emphasizing that an...
5. 也都 (also all) yě dōu 也都 combines 也 (also) and 都 (all) to express that a group collectively shares a characteristic that was previously mentioned about another...
6. 还有 (in addition) háiyǒu 还有 means 'in addition,' 'also,' or 'and also,' and is used to add items to a list or introduce supplementary information. It is one of th...
7. 分之 (fractions) fēnzhī Chinese expresses fractions in the reverse order of English: denominator + 分之 + numerator. For example, 三分之一 (literally 'of three parts, ...
8. 所有 (all) suǒyǒu 所有 means 'all' or 'every' and is used before nouns to indicate totality without exception. It is often followed by 的 before the noun, and...