Say it in Chinese
How to say how much in Chinese
Updated
How much in Chinese is 多少钱? To ask about one thing, put it first: 这个多少钱 (how much is this)? Prices come back as a number plus 块, the spoken word for yuan.
The phrase
- 多少duō shaohow much
- 钱qiánmoney
What it means
多少钱 means “how much money?”. 多少 is “how much” and 钱 is “money”. Use it in shops, at stalls and in taxis.
On its own it asks about what you are pointing at or holding. To be clear, put the thing first: 这个多少钱 (this one, how much)? 雨伞多少钱 (the umbrella, how much)?
How to say it
Say duō shao qián. duō is high and level. shao is short and soft. qián rises, which makes it sound like a question.
In the answer, listen for kuài. The number just before it is the price.
The pinyin shows how people really say it, the same as in the game.
When to use it
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In a shop
Hold the thing up or point at it, and say 这个多少钱? If the price is on a sign, people may just point at the sign.
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Fruit and vegetables
Fruit in China is sold by the 斤, which is half a kilo. Ask 苹果一斤多少钱 (how much is half a kilo of apples)? The seller weighs your fruit and works out the price.
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Before a ride or a service
If someone offers you a ride or a boat trip with no meter and no app, ask the price first.
Other ways to say it
More exact questions and a useful reaction, all from the game.
- 这个多少钱？ (zhè ge duō shao qián?) How much is this?
The most useful version. Point while you say it.
- 雨伞多少钱？ (yú sǎn duō shao qián?) How much is the umbrella?
Put the name of the thing in front of 多少钱.
- 苹果一斤多少钱？ (píng guǒ yì jīn duō shao qián?) How much is one jin of apples?
A 斤 is half a kilo, the usual unit for fruit.
- 太贵了 (tài guì le) Too expensive
Use it at markets and stalls, where prices can change. In chain shops and supermarkets prices are fixed.
What people say back
- 这个多少钱？ (zhè ge duō shao qián?) How much is this?
At the counter of a convenience store.
They may say 五块。 (wǔ kuài.) Five yuan. (A number plus the word for yuan.) - 多少钱？ (duō shao qián?) How much?
At the checkout with your snacks.
They may say 八块，扫这里。 (bā kuài, sǎo zhè lǐ.) 8 yuan. Scan here. (Then the cashier points at the QR code so you can pay with your phone.) - 多少钱？ (duō shao qián?) How much?
At a meat skewer grill at a night market.
They may say 羊肉串！五块一串。 (yáng ròu chuàn! wǔ kuài yí chuàn.) Lamb skewers! Five yuan a skewer. (Street food is often priced per piece or per skewer.) - 太贵了 (tài guì le) Too expensive
An umbrella seller in an old town asks 120.
They may say 你的中文真好！便宜一点！八十。 (nǐ de zhōng wén zhēn hǎo! pián yi yì diǎn! bā shí.) Your Chinese is really good! I'll make it cheaper! Eighty. (He drops to eighty.)
Common mistakes
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Listening for “yuan”
People say 块 for yuan. 元 is the word printed on price tags, and the one a payment speaker says. If you only listen for yuán, you can miss spoken prices.
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Asking about fruit without a unit
At a fruit shop, 多少钱 alone may get you the price for half a kilo, not for one piece. That is why the number can seem small.
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Missing the number
If the price comes too fast, say 听不懂，请慢一点 (I don’t understand, please slow down). Or ask the seller to show you on a phone or calculator. Both are normal.
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Bargaining in a chain shop
太贵了 (too expensive) is fine at a market stall. In convenience stores, supermarkets and malls prices are fixed, and it just sounds like a complaint.
Where it comes up in the game
The convenience store
A customer thinks you are the shop assistant and asks you 这个多少钱? You tell him you do not work there. He asks the real cashier, who says 五块 (five yuan). Later you buy your own lunch and ask the price at the checkout.
When it starts to rain
It starts to pour while you eat. The cashier puts umbrellas by the door. You ask 雨伞多少钱? and pay by phone.
The fruit shop and an old town
You buy fruit as a gift. You ask the price per 斤 and say how many you want. Later in the week an umbrella seller asks 120. You say 太贵了 and he lowers the price.
Questions
How do you say how much in Chinese?
How much in Chinese is 多少钱? It means “how much money?”. To ask about one thing, put it first: 这个多少钱 (how much is this)?
What does 块 mean in a price?
块 is the spoken word for yuan, the Chinese money. 五块 is five yuan. Price tags and receipts use 元, but people say 块.
What is a jin in China?
A jin (斤) is half a kilogram, or 500 grams. Fruit, vegetables and meat at markets are usually priced per jin.
How do you say too expensive in Chinese?
Too expensive in Chinese is 太贵了. At markets and street stalls the seller may lower the price. In chain shops prices are fixed.
Can I bargain in China?
You can bargain at some markets and street stalls in China, especially for souvenirs. Supermarkets, convenience stores, malls, restaurants and app-booked rides have fixed prices.
How do I pay after asking the price?
Most small shops in China expect you to pay by scanning a QR code with Alipay or WeChat Pay. The cashier often says 扫这里 (scan here) and points at the code. Both apps let visitors link a foreign card.