几十亿 (jǐ shí yì) — several billion; billions

Definition

Approximate 'several billion' — combines 几 (a few) with 十亿 (billion). Use when the exact number is unknown or unimportant, unlike 数十亿 which is more formal and often appears in written text.

numeral
several billionbillions

Examples

  • 几十亿。
    Quán shì jiè yǒu jǐ shí yì rén kǒu.
    The world has several billion people.
  • 几十亿。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhuàn le jǐ shí yì měi yuán.
    This company earned billions of dollars.
  • 几十亿。
    Kē xué jiā rèn wéi yǔ zhòu zhōng yǒu jǐ shí yì kē xīng xing.
    Scientists believe there are billions of stars in the universe.

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.

几十several tens
几jǐseveral十shíten
偏正Modifier + head
亿yìhundred million

几 and 十 make several tens, which specifies a multiple of 亿, giving several billion.

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 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early shape 十 was mostly a single vertical stroke, sometimes with a dot, and later gained a horizontal stroke to form a cross. For the number ten, it marked the next digit above one.

Open 十 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 億; 亿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
意
意yì億yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 億 pairs 人 (person) with 意 for its sound; the simplified 亿 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 亿 →
Appears in
Numbers & Counting

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.