hǎo jǐ: 好几 - Several, Quite a Few

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Summary: Learn how to use the common Chinese term 好几 (hǎo jǐ), which means “several” or “quite a few.” This page breaks down its meaning, grammar structure (好几 + Measure Word + Noun), and cultural context. Discover how adding “好 (hǎo)” intensifies “几 (jǐ)” to express a quantity that is more than expected, and master its usage with practical examples to sound more natural in daily conversation.

Pinyin (with tone marks): hǎo jǐ

Part of Speech: Determinative Phrase (used like a number)

HSK Level: HSK 3

Concise Definition: An indefinite number meaning “several,” “quite a few,” or “a good number of.”

In a Nutshell: 好几 (hǎo jǐ) is used to describe a quantity that is more than just two or three, but not a huge amount. Think of it as “more than a few.” The character 好 (hǎo) doesn't mean “good” here; instead, it acts as an intensifier, similar to “quite” or “a good” in English phrases like “a good while” or “a good few.” It's a very common, informal way to emphasize that a small number is still significant or more than anticipated.

好 (hǎo): While its primary meaning is “good” or “well,” in this context, 好 (hǎo) functions as an adverb of degree. It intensifies the word that follows, meaning “quite,” “very,” or “a good deal of.”

几 (jǐ): This character has two main uses. In questions, it means “how many?” (e.g., 你几岁了? - Nǐ jǐ suì le?). In statements, it indicates an indefinite small number, usually under ten, translating to “a few” or “some.”

When combined, 好几 (hǎo jǐ) takes the “a few” meaning of 几 (jǐ) and strengthens it with 好 (hǎo), creating the more emphatic “quite a few.” It's the difference between seeing “a few” people and “quite a few” people.

The Art of Approximation: In daily Chinese conversation, speakers often favor conveying a general sense over providing a precise number, especially when the exact count is unimportant. 好几 (hǎo jǐ) is a perfect tool for this conversational style. It's less rigid than saying “seven” or “eight” but more specific and emphatic than just saying “some.”

Comparing to English: The feeling of 好几 (hǎo jǐ) is very similar to the English informal phrase “a good few.” If you say, “I waited for a few hours,” it's a neutral statement. If you say, “I waited for a good few hours,” you are emphasizing the length and perhaps your slight impatience. 好几 (hǎo jǐ) carries that same emphatic, slightly-more-than-expected feeling. It reflects a cultural preference for conveying sentiment and impression along with factual information.

You must include a measure word. Simply saying “hǎo jǐ shū” (好几书) is incorrect. You must say “hǎo jǐ běn shū” (好几本书).

Formality: 好几 (hǎo jǐ) is highly conversational and informal. You would use it when talking with friends, family, or colleagues, but you would avoid it in formal written reports, academic papers, or official announcements where precision is required.

Connotation: The connotation is neutral but often implies that the quantity is notable or more than one might casually assume. For example, if someone says they have 好几个 siblings, it implies a larger-than-average family.

几 (jǐ) - The base word, meaning “a few” in statements or “how many” in questions. 好几 is the intensified form of “a few.”

一些 (yīxiē) - A general term for “some” or “a few.” It's more neutral and less emphatic than 好几.

不少 (bùshǎo) - Literally “not few.” It's a close synonym for “quite a few” or “a good deal of” and can sometimes imply an even larger quantity than 好几.

许多 (xǔduō) - Means “many” or “a lot of.” This indicates a significantly larger quantity than 好几.

几个 (jǐ ge) - “A few,” using the most common measure word 个 (ge). It's the standard, non-emphatic version of 好几个 (hǎo jǐ ge).

几十 (jǐ shí) - “Dozens,” “several tens.” Used for indefinite numbers roughly between 20 and 90.