How to say “how much” in Chinese

duōshao qián
how much

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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Word by word

duō
how / many
shao
few (neutral here)
qián
money

Tone tip

少 is normally shǎo (third tone), but in 多少 ('how many/much') it is a light neutral tone. 钱 (qián, money) rises - a clean second tone.

In a sentence

Zhège duōshao qián?

How much is this?

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "how much" in Chinese?+

"how much" in Mandarin Chinese is 多少钱, pronounced duōshao qián. 少 is normally shǎo (third tone), but in 多少 ('how many/much') it is a light neutral tone. 钱 (qián, money) rises - a clean second tone.

What does 多少钱 mean literally?+

多少钱 breaks down as 多 (duō) = how / many, 少 (shao) = few (neutral here), 钱 (qián) = money. Together it means "how much".

How do I get the tones right in duōshao qián?+

少 is normally shǎo (third tone), but in 多少 ('how many/much') it is a light neutral tone. 钱 (qián, money) rises - a clean second tone.

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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.