<p>In this context, it is “500多/个” instead of “500/多个”. “500多” means slightly more than 500. If the number is relatively small, like 10, 20 or 30, and is a whole number, use “几”.</p>

<p>As another example: 200多个人吃了20几桌菜，喝了500多瓶啤酒，一共吃了3个多小时，花了十几万块钱。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T16:11:07.637Z
Then what about 三个多小时？Why is it not 三多个小时？
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T16:20:15.133Z
@Blaszard Because “N多 个” is only used when N is a multiple of 10, 100, 1000, 10000, etc, but not when N<10.  For example, 五十多、一百多、三千多、六万多、六十多万、一百多万…… It is used as an approximation, i.e. using only one significant figure.  But 三个多小时 does not actually have the same form.  It means “slightly more than three hours, i.e. between 3 and 4.  “十多 个 小时” may refer to 11 hours, 12 hours, 13 hours, etc., but “十 个 多 小时” refers to a time period longer than 10 hours, but shorter than 11 hours.
wks
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T11:10:36.260Z
2017-12-22T11:10:36.260Z
wks
<p>If you have 500多 of something, it just means that it is over 500, but fairly close to that. It's similar to saying "over 500." If the number of people were something like 521, saying 500多 would make a lot of sense.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-22T00:16:51.887Z
2018-02-22T00:16:51.887Z
Xixi
<p>The expression set a base, so people can get a rough idea on how much/many they should spend or have. For example, A: how much is it? B: 500多。Basically, B feels that it's unnecessary to tell the exact number, because A may not want to be that accurate as well. </p>

<p>The similar in English: A: what's the temperature? B: in the 40s. B means the temperature falls into 40 ~ 49. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-23T08:07:23.913Z
2017-12-23T08:07:23.913Z
dan
<p>To add on top of what others have mentioned, "500多个" basically means five hundred and something piece of X. (Edit: Be careful that "多个" is not a word here, the correct way to separate the word would be "500多" + "个")</p>

<p>"500多" Literally means 500 (and) something, or five hundred (and) something, in this context</p>

<hr>

<p>Some personal rant below</p>

<hr>

<p>While this kind of usage has already become relatively common nowadays,  I would like to advise against writing it out this way with Arabic numbers personally.</p>

<p>Writing the word out with Chinese numbers, like "五百多个" is ok and everybody would understand it directly and immediately, however, if you write "500多个", then it could be confusing to readers even if the reader is native in Chinese, especially at first sight, because all the zeroes have been spelled out in the form of Arabic number despite the "and something" part in the original sentence, and what's worse in Chinese compared to similar English usage is that there isn't even a word function like (and) is this kind of expression. Therefore, Reader might be tempted to think those Arabic numeral zeroes in the sentence might actually mean the round number before they actually read the sentence clearly. To avoid such a situation, it would probably be better to use Chinese numerals instead of Arabic numerals in this expression.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-30T15:06:58.243Z
2017-12-30T15:06:58.243Z
user930067
<p>N 多 个 = over N:</p>
<p>Pleco has a bunch of sample sentences:</p>
<p>If you type 多个 open the entry then click <strong>SENTS</strong> you’ll get something like this:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/XNZSc.png" alt="enter image description here" /></p>
<p>Which features sentences like:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一百多个人</p>
<p>yībǎi duō ge rén</p>
<p>more than 100 people</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他们有保留曲目二十多个。</p>
<p>They have a repertoire of over 20 songs.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So 500多个 can be 501 - 599, basically.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T03:19:17.960Z
Great tips! Having used Pleco for 4 years, I didn’t know the cool feature!
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T04:45:48.077Z
BTW is the 个 a measure word here?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T04:50:33.720Z
Yeah, absolutely. You’ll see variations of it for different objects: 500多本书，500多条狗，500多泡尿，etc.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-23T09:14:53.473Z
Whoa, which font is that?
A O
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-23T09:31:21.470Z
@AO in Pleco? FZKaiTi 方正楷体.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T02:32:14.707Z
2017-12-21T02:32:14.707Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>In the following sentence on <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2017-12/05/c_1122061095.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this article</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>ＬＡ　ＬＩＳＴＥ国际美食排行榜于２０１５年由法国人首创，收录１６５个国家的１６０００个优秀美食地点，参考５００<strong>多个</strong>专业美食指南和民众在线点评，得分靠前的１０００家餐厅进入下一年度全球美食排行榜。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Pleco says the following on the entry for 多个 (the same as <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=1&amp;wdqt=%E5%A4%9A%E4%B8%AA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a>):</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>many</li>
  <li>multiple</li>
  <li>multi-</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>However, all of them seem to make no sense. I feel it is either <em>as many as</em> or <em>more than ~</em>.</p>

<p>So which one is the correct? Or does <em>500多个</em> mean <em>more than 500</em> (like 535) or <em>as many as 500</em> (emphasize the number)?</p>

<p>Also, does the reverse expression exist (e.g. 多个500)?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T00:59:05.760Z
number +  多个,  more than + number, (it is in dictionaries)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T01:04:27.480Z
@user6065 Which dictionary? I referred to both Pleco and MDBG but they don't have the explanation.
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T01:13:12.090Z
dictionary: number +  多 more than + number, to count objects must be followed by a measure word, e.g. 个, bkrs: 多:much, many; more than, over, iciba:助

（用在数量词后，表示有零头） more； over； odd；
动

（超出原有的或应有的数量或限度） exceed a number；
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T01:16:36.553Z
see comment #3, bkrs, iciba, it is also discussed in the section on numbers in any grammar, (applies to comment which has meanwhile be erased)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T01:30:47.823Z
Then what does the 个 mean here? Is it the measure word for 专业美食指南和民众在线点评?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T06:44:30.233Z
Tip: This writing style, digit + 多, is not correct, you must change the digit to Chinese characters if the number is not exact. The right forms: 10个人, 十余人, 十几个人, 十多个人, 200个人, 二百个人, 二百多人, 二百余元, 1万元, 一万(多/余)元, wrong forms: 10余人, 10几个人, 10多个人, 200多个人, 200余人, 1万(多/余)元.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T06:47:33.273Z
if answer to #5 is still required, other users can only agree with OP's suggestion
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T08:31:45.433Z
grammars have sections on  概数(approximate numbers), e.g.＂实用现代汉语语法＂；概数的表示发 （二）数词后加上表示概数的词语。主要有＂来＂、＂多＂、＂把＂、左右＂、＂前后＂、＂上下＂等，for＂来＂note https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/9974/%e6%80%8e%e4%b9%88%e7%94%a8%e6%b1%89%e8%af%ad%e8%af%b4-early-mid-late-20s-%e6%88%96-low-mid-high-20s/9975#9975
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-25T02:27:28.263Z
Means 501 ~ 599
tsh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-25T02:39:49.700Z
When number is used with “多”“余”“左右”“上下” with the meaning "about". the number is normally written in Chinese instead of Arabic numerals. so 五百多 is better than 500多. One exception is when used with other exact value in Arabic numerals format in a same sentence.
tsh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-23T04:14:43.607Z
500-ish amount of
Nianyi Wang
<meaning-in-context>
What does 500多个 mean?
# What does 500多个 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-21)

In the following sentence on [this article](http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2017-12/05/c_1122061095.htm):

> ＬＡ　ＬＩＳＴＥ国际美食排行榜于２０１５年由法国人首创，收录１６５个国家的１６０００个优秀美食地点，参考５００**多个**专业美食指南和民众在线点评，得分靠前的１０００家餐厅进入下一年度全球美食排行榜。

Pleco says the following on the entry for 多个 (the same as [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=1&wdqt=%E5%A4%9A%E4%B8%AA)):

> 1. many
> 2. multiple
> 3. multi-

However, all of them seem to make no sense. I feel it is either *as many as* or *more than ~*.

So which one is the correct? Or does *500多个* mean *more than 500* (like 535) or *as many as 500* (emphasize the number)?

Also, does the reverse expression exist (e.g. 多个500)?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: number +  多个,  more than + number, (it is in dictionaries)  
> **username_0**: @user6065 Which dictionary? I referred to both Pleco and MDBG but they don't have the explanation.  
> **username_1**: dictionary: number +  多 more than + number, to count objects must be followed by a measure word, e.g. 个, bkrs: 多:much, many; more than, over, iciba:助  （用在数量词后，表示有零头） more； over； odd； 动  （超出原有的或应有的数量或限度） exceed a number；  
> **username_1**: see comment #3, bkrs, iciba, it is also discussed in the section on numbers in any grammar, (applies to comment which has meanwhile be erased)  
> **username_0**: Then what does the 个 mean here? Is it the measure word for 专业美食指南和民众在线点评?  
> **username_2**: Tip: This writing style, digit + 多, is not correct, you must change the digit to Chinese characters if the number is not exact. The right forms: 10个人, 十余人, 十几个人, 十多个人, 200个人, 二百个人, 二百多人, 二百余元, 1万元, 一万(多/余)元, wrong forms: 10余人, 10几个人, 10多个人, 200多个人, 200余人, 1万(多/余)元.  
> **username_1**: if answer to #5 is still required, other users can only agree with OP's suggestion  
> **username_1**: grammars have sections on  概数(approximate numbers), e.g.＂实用现代汉语语法＂；概数的表示发 （二）数词后加上表示概数的词语。主要有＂来＂、＂多＂、＂把＂、左右＂、＂前后＂、＂上下＂等，for＂来＂note https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/9974/%e6%80%8e%e4%b9%88%e7%94%a8%e6%b1%89%e8%af%ad%e8%af%b4-early-mid-late-20s-%e6%88%96-low-mid-high-20s/9975#9975  
> **username_3**: Means 501 ~ 599  
> **username_3**: When number is used with “多”“余”“左右”“上下” with the meaning "about". the number is normally written in Chinese instead of Arabic numerals. so 五百多 is better than 500多. One exception is when used with other exact value in Arabic numerals format in a same sentence.  
> **username_4**: 500-ish amount of  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_9 on 2017-12-21. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

N 多 个 = over N:

Pleco has a bunch of sample sentences:

If you type 多个 open the entry then click **SENTS** you’ll get something like this:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/XNZSc.png)

Which features sentences like:

> 一百多个人
>
> yībǎi duō ge rén
>
> more than 100 people

and

> 他们有保留曲目二十多个。
>
> They have a repertoire of over 20 songs.

So 500多个 can be 501 - 599, basically.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Great tips! Having used Pleco for 4 years, I didn’t know the cool feature!  
> **username_0**: BTW is the 个 a measure word here?  
> **username_9**: Yeah, absolutely. You’ll see variations of it for different objects: 500多本书，500多条狗，500多泡尿，etc.  
> **username_10**: Whoa, which font is that?  
> **username_9**: @AO in Pleco? FZKaiTi 方正楷体.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-22. Score: 2

In this context, it is “500多/个” instead of “500/多个”. “500多” means slightly more than 500. If the number is relatively small, like 10, 20 or 30, and is a whole number, use “几”.

As another example: 200多个人吃了20几桌菜，喝了500多瓶啤酒，一共吃了3个多小时，花了十几万块钱。

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Then what about 三个多小时？Why is it not 三多个小时？  
> **username_5**: @Blaszard Because “N多 个” is only used when N is a multiple of 10, 100, 1000, 10000, etc, but not when N<10.  For example, 五十多、一百多、三千多、六万多、六十多万、一百多万…… It is used as an approximation, i.e. using only one significant figure.  But 三个多小时 does not actually have the same form.  It means “slightly more than three hours, i.e. between 3 and 4.  “十多 个 小时” may refer to 11 hours, 12 hours, 13 hours, etc., but “十 个 多 小时” refers to a time period longer than 10 hours, but shorter than 11 hours.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-02-22. Score: 1

If you have 500多 of something, it just means that it is over 500, but fairly close to that. It's similar to saying "over 500." If the number of people were something like 521, saying 500多 would make a lot of sense.


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2017-12-23. Score: 0

The expression set a base, so people can get a rough idea on how much/many they should spend or have. For example, A: how much is it? B: 500多。Basically, B feels that it's unnecessary to tell the exact number, because A may not want to be that accurate as well.

The similar in English: A: what's the temperature? B: in the 40s. B means the temperature falls into 40 ~ 49.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2017-12-30. Score: 0

To add on top of what others have mentioned, "500多个" basically means five hundred and something piece of X. (Edit: Be careful that "多个" is not a word here, the correct way to separate the word would be "500多" + "个")

"500多" Literally means 500 (and) something, or five hundred (and) something, in this context

---

Some personal rant below

---

While this kind of usage has already become relatively common nowadays, I would like to advise against writing it out this way with Arabic numbers personally.

Writing the word out with Chinese numbers, like "五百多个" is ok and everybody would understand it directly and immediately, however, if you write "500多个", then it could be confusing to readers even if the reader is native in Chinese, especially at first sight, because all the zeroes have been spelled out in the form of Arabic number despite the "and something" part in the original sentence, and what's worse in Chinese compared to similar English usage is that there isn't even a word function like (and) is this kind of expression. Therefore, Reader might be tempted to think those Arabic numeral zeroes in the sentence might actually mean the round number before they actually read the sentence clearly. To avoid such a situation, it would probably be better to use Chinese numerals instead of Arabic numerals in this expression.


---

