几百 (jǐ bǎi) — several hundred | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Hundreds; an indefinite small hundreds (≈ 200–900). 几 here means 'a few' or 'some number of', weaker than the precise 数 / 两 and stronger than 几十 ('a few dozen').

numeral

several hundred

Examples

几百。
jǐ bǎi Gè xué shēng cān jiā le bǐ sài.
Several hundred students took part in the competition.
几百。
Zhè běn shū wǒ kàn le jǐ bǎi biàn.
I've read this book several hundred times.
几百。
Tā huā le jǐ bǎi kuài qián mǎi lǐ wù.
He spent several hundred yuan on gifts.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

几jǐseveral

百bǎihundred

几 means several and 百 means hundred, so together they denote several hundred.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 幾; 几 is its simplified writing.

𢆶𢆶𢆶silk threads; little things
戍戍shùto guard against

The traditional form 幾 puts 𢆶 (silk threads; little things) and 戍 (to guard against) together to show watching over the fine details; the simplified 几 is a later abbreviation.

Open 几 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

一白百

Meaning part形符xíngfú

一一yī

Sound part声符shēngfú

白

白bái百bǎi

Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

Appears in