多 meaning and stroke order
Many; much; more; a lot of; too many; in excess; (after a numeral) ... odd
How to write 多, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 多
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- many; much; more; a lot of
- too many; in excess
- (after a numeral) ... odd
- how (to what extent) (Taiwan pr. [duo2])
- (bound form) multi-; poly-
How 多 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two nights 夕, suggesting many.
Radical: 夕 (evening), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 多
多 is two 夕 (xī, evening) stacked on top of each other. One night after another adds up to many, so two nights means "many" or "much."
多 (duō) means many or much, and it often comes after 很 (hěn) as a predicate. It also forms question words like 多少 (duōshao, how many) and 多久 (duōjiǔ, how long), and after a numeral it means "odd" or "over," as in 十多个 (shí duō ge, ten-odd). Example: 这里人很多。(Zhèlǐ rén hěn duō.) There are a lot of people here.
Common mistake: Learners often say 多人 to mean "many people," but 多 usually needs 很 or 许多 before a noun, so say 很多人 (hěn duō rén). Also, do not confuse 多 with 夕 (xī) alone or write the two parts side by side; the two 夕 are stacked vertically.
Common words with 多
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 多少 | duōshao | number; amount; somewhat | HSK 1 |
| 多久 | duōjiǔ | (of time) how long?; (not) a long time | HSK 2 |
| 差不多 | chàbuduō | almost; nearly | HSK 2 |
| 许多 | xǔduō | many; a lot of | HSK 2 |
| 好多 | hǎoduō | many; quite a lot | HSK 2 |
| 多么 | duōme | how (wonderful etc); what (a great idea etc) | HSK 2 |
| 大多数 | dàduōshù | (great) majority | HSK 2 |
| 多数 | duōshù | majority; most | HSK 2 |
| 多云 | duōyún | (meteorology) cloudy | HSK 2 |
| 多年 | duō nián | many years; for many years | HSK 4 |
| 多次 | duō cì | many times; repeatedly | HSK 4 |
| 大多 | dàduō | for the most part; many | HSK 4 |
| 多种 | duō zhǒng | many kinds of; multiple; diverse; multi- | HSK 4 |
| 多样 | duōyàng | diverse; diversity | HSK 4 |
多 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 多
Learning 多 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 多
How many strokes are in 多?
多 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 多 mean?
多 (duō) means many; much; more; a lot of; too many; in excess; (after a numeral) ... odd. A common word with it is 多少 (duōshao), meaning "number; amount; somewhat".
How do you pronounce 多?
多 is pronounced duō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 多?
The radical of 多 is 夕, which carries the idea of "evening". Dictionaries list 多 under this radical.
Is 多 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 多 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do I say "how old" or "how tall" with 多?
Put 多 before an adjective to ask about degree: 你多大？(Nǐ duō dà?) How old are you? 他多高？(Tā duō gāo?) How tall is he? In Taiwan this 多 is often pronounced duó.
Where does 多 go when it means "more" in a comparison or request?
When 多 means "more" with a verb, it goes before the verb: 多吃一点 (duō chī yìdiǎn), eat a bit more. In comparisons it can follow the adjective: 他比我高多了 (tā bǐ wǒ gāo duō le), he is much taller than me.