How to Ask “How Much Is It?” in Chinese: 多少钱

Ask prices in Mandarin with 这个多少钱, understand answers in 块, buy by the box or jin at a market, and avoid mixing up 四 and 十. Pinyin included.

Start with 这个多少钱？

这个多少钱？ (Zhège duōshao qián?) means “How much is this?” Point at the item and ask. 多少 (duōshao) means “how much” or “how many,” and 钱 (qián) means “money.” Because 多少 already makes a question, you do not add 吗.

For a service, put the action first: 寄这个包裹要多少钱？ (Jì zhège bāoguǒ yào duōshao qián?) — “How much does it cost to send this parcel?” A shorter, polite version at a post office counter is 请问，邮费是多少？ (Qǐngwèn, yóufèi shì duōshao?) — “Excuse me, how much is the postage?”

Understand the answer

In speech, prices usually use 块 (kuài), the everyday word for a yuan. Printed prices show 元 (yuán). 十五块 (shíwǔ kuài) is fifteen yuan. You may hear 毛 (máo) for a tenth of a yuan, so 两块五 (liǎng kuài wǔ) means 2.5 yuan.

At a market, fruit and vegetables are often priced per 斤 (jīn), which is half a kilogram: 草莓多少钱一斤？ (Cǎoméi duōshao qián yì jīn?) — “How much per jin for the strawberries?” If they are sold in boxes, buy one with 我要一盒草莓。 (Wǒ yào yì hé cǎoméi.) — “I'd like a box of strawberries.”

Some open-air markets accept a little bargaining with 便宜一点吧？ (Piányi yìdiǎn ba?) — “Could you make it a bit cheaper?” Supermarkets and chain stores have fixed prices, so do not use it there.

A short conversation at a fruit stall

A: 老板，草莓多少钱一盒？
Lǎobǎn, cǎoméi duōshao qián yì hé?
“Excuse me, how much is a box of strawberries?”

B: 二十五块一盒。
Èrshíwǔ kuài yì hé.
“Twenty-five yuan a box.”

A: 便宜一点吧？
Piányi yìdiǎn ba?
“Could you make it a little cheaper?”

B: 好吧，二十三。
Hǎo ba, èrshísān.
“All right, twenty-three.”

A: 好，我要一盒。
Hǎo, wǒ yào yì hé.
“Okay, I'll take a box.”

老板 (lǎobǎn, “boss”) is a common, friendly way to address a stall owner.

Common mistakes

Adding 吗. 这个多少钱吗 is wrong because the sentence already has a question word.

Using 二 before a measure word. Say 两块 (liǎng kuài), not 二块. Inside bigger numbers, 二 is still correct: 二十五 (èrshíwǔ).

Mixing up 四 and 十. Sì (four) and shí (ten) are easy to confuse by ear. If you are not sure, ask 可以写一下吗？ (Kěyǐ xiě yíxià ma?) — “Could you write it down?” or check the price on the scale or screen.

Speaking practice

Pick three objects near you and ask 这个多少钱？ for each. Then answer yourself with a price in 块, including one price with 两. Finally, practice the market pattern 多少钱一斤 and 多少钱一盒 until the measure word comes out without a pause.

When it is time to pay, read how to ask “Can I pay by card?” in Chinese.

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