HSK 4
几乎 #
jīhū #
almost #
Structure
Subject + 几乎 + Verb / Adjective / Numeral Phrase
How it works
The word '几乎' (jīhū) is an adverb meaning 'almost' or 'nearly.' It is used to indicate that something is very close to a certain state, quantity, or result, often implying that it just barely fell short of happening or reaching a limit.
Examples
为了准备考试，他几乎两个晚上没睡觉。
Wèile zhǔnbèi kǎoshì, tā jīhū liǎng gè wǎnshàng méi shuìjiào.
In order to prepare for the exam, he almost didn't sleep for two nights.
这两个孩子长得几乎一模一样。
Zhè liǎng gè háizi zhǎng de jīhū yīmúyīyàng.
These two children look almost exactly the same.
我几乎忘了我们要开会。
Wǒ jīhū wàngle wǒmen yào kāihuì.
I almost forgot that we have a meeting.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse '几乎' with '差不多'. While 'almost' can often be both, '几乎' implies it is very close to a limit or an unlikely event, whereas '差不多' is more common for general approximations and can be used as a predicate (e.g., saying 'It's about the same').
Tip
If you are describing an unpleasant event that almost happened but didn't (like an accident), '几乎' is the most natural choice.
More HSK 4 grammar
See 几乎 # in real Chinese
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