以…居多
mostly; the largest share is…
Structure
范围 以 某类 居多
What it means
'Mostly X; X makes up the largest share': says which group is the majority within a range. 居多 means 'make up the majority' and 以 names the group.
How it is built
Range + 以 + group + 居多: 来听讲座的以退休老人居多 (the audience was mostly retirees). Without 以 the group simply comes first: 班上女生居多.
When to use it
Written and news register; in speech say 大多是…. Close to 以…为主 (mainly), but 居多 is strictly about numbers, while 为主 is about what is central.
Watch out
居多 counts heads, so for 'mainly' in the sense of focus use 为主: ✗这门课以口语居多。 ✓这门课以口语为主。
Examples
新疆的少数民族以维吾尔族居多。
Most of Xinjiang’s minority population is Uyghur.
来听讲座的以退休老人居多。
The audience at the talk was mostly retirees.
Learn this in Lesson 10 · HSK 5: 五十六个民族 (The 56 ethnic groups)
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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