差不多
chàbuduō
More or less
差不多 (chàbuduō) is a versatile phrase meaning "more or less," "almost," or "roughly." It's used to indicate that something is close to completion, similar in degree, or approximately correct.
What does 差不多 (chàbuduō) mean?
差不多 (chàbuduō) means “more or less” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “differ not much.”
When to use it
Neutral and very common in everyday conversation. It's a flexible phrase used to express approximation in various contexts, from time to quantity to similarity.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "CHAH-boo-DWOH." The "bu" is often said with a light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 差不多了chàbuduō lealmost done/ready
- 大概dàgàiprobably; roughly
- 左右zuǒyòuapproximately (after a number)
Examples
我们差不多到家了。
wǒmen chàbuduō dào jiā le.
We are almost home.
他俩的年龄差不多。
tā liǎ de niánlíng chàbuduō.
Their ages are more or less the same.
这个计划差不多完成了。
zhège jìhuà chàbuduō wánchéng le.
This plan is almost complete.
Pro tip: 差不多 is a highly versatile phrase, often used to convey "good enough" or "close enough" in a relaxed way.
Related phrases
不一定 · Not necessarily可能吧 · Maybe应该是 · Probably or should be
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