Wanyu · 万语 Español

HSK 6 Adverbs

至多 / 至少 / 起码

At most / at least (至多/至少/起码)

Structure 至多 / 至少 / 起码 + quantity or condition

至多 (zhìduō) "at most" and 至少 (zhìshǎo) "at least" set the upper and lower bounds of something, like the colloquial pair 顶多 (dǐngduō) / 起码 (qǐmǎ): 至多再等十分钟 = "we'll wait ten more minutes at most". 至多/至少 are the FORMAL, written pair; 顶多/起码 are their colloquial-yet-educated counterparts, common in speech. 至少 (which already brushes HSK 4) also marks a required minimum or a consolation: 起码得有人负责 = "at the very least, someone has to be accountable".

Examples

  • 这zhè件jiàn事shì至zhì多duō再zài等děng十shí分fēn钟zhōng,不bù能néng再zài拖tuō了le。

    We'll wait ten more minutes at most on this; it can't be put off any longer.

  • 完wán成chéng这zhè个gè项xiàng目mù至zhì少shǎo需xū要yào半bàn年nián时shí间jiān。

    Finishing this project takes at least half a year.

  • 出chū了le这zhè么me大dà的de事shì,起qǐ码mǎ得děi有yǒu人rén出chū来lái负fù责zé。

    After something this serious, at the very least someone has to step up and take responsibility.

  • 依yī我wǒ看kàn,这zhè点diǎn钱qián顶dǐng多duō够gòu吃chī一yī顿dùn饭fàn。

    In my view, this little money is at most enough for one meal.

Levels are indicative: they follow the standard Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning) progression, not an official HSK 3.0 mapping. We never assign levels by eye.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

Download on the App Store