十来个 · 二十来度
about, around: a round number, give or take a little
Structure
数词（十、二十、一百……） + 来 + 量词 + 名词
What it means
来 after a round number means “about, around”, give or take a little: 十来个人 = about ten people.
How it is built
Round number (十, 二十, 三百…) + 来 + measure word + noun: 这条船上有三百来个游客 (there are about 300 passengers on this boat). Also 二十来度 (about 20 degrees), 五十来岁 (about 50).
When to use it
Handy for ages, temperatures and crowds. With a number not ending in 0, use 多 or 左右 instead: 三个多小时, 三个小时左右. Or give two numbers side by side: 三四个小时.
Watch out
来 needs a number ending in 0: ✗ 三来个小时 ✓ 三个多小时 or 三个小时左右. Keep 来 between the number and the measure word: 十来个人.
Examples
这条船上有三百来个游客。
There are about three hundred passengers on this boat.
下周重庆白天二十来度。
Next week it will be about twenty degrees in Chongqing in the daytime.
导游五十来岁，是重庆人。
The guide is about fifty and comes from Chongqing.
从这儿走过去要十来分钟。
It’s about ten minutes’ walk from here.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 13: 长江 (The Yangtze)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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