HSK 6
多多少少
duōduōshǎoshǎo
more or less
Structure
Subject + 多多少少 + (会/有/有些) + Verb/Adjective
How it works
‘多多少少’ is a reduplicated adjective used as an adverb meaning 'more or less' or 'to some degree'. It indicates that while the quantity or degree might be small, it is not zero. It often appears before a verb or an adjective and frequently pairs with words like ‘有’, ‘会’, or ‘还是’.
Examples
这件事多多少少对他产生了一些影响。
Zhè jiàn shì duōduōshǎoshǎo duì tā chǎnshēngle yìxiē yǐngxiǎng.
This matter more or less had some influence on him.
在这个问题上，大家多多少少都有些责任。
Zài zhège wèntí shàng, dàjiā duōduōshǎoshǎo dōu yǒuxiē zérèn.
Everyone bears more or less some responsibility for this issue.
虽然他没直说，但我多多少少能猜到他的意图。
Suīrán tā méi zhíshuō, dàn wǒ duōduōshǎoshǎo néng cāidào tā de yìtú.
Although he didn't say it directly, I can more or less guess his intentions.
Common mistakes
Do not use '多多少少' to mean 'exactly how much' in a question; it is only used to describe an indefinite but existent degree.
Tip
Think of '多多少少' as a more formal or emphatic version of '有一点' (a little bit) or '稍微' (slightly) used to acknowledge that a condition exists.
More HSK 6 grammar
See 多多少少 in real Chinese
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