多久 (duō jiǔ) — (interrogative pronoun) how long (duration)?; (…

Definition

多久 is the question word for asking about duration ('how long?'). In a negative sentence it means '(not) a long time'.

pronoun

(interrogative pronoun) how long (duration)?(in negative) (not) a long time

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.

多久 combines 多 (how) and 久 (long) to ask about duration.

Characters in this word

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

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

久 likely came from a simple drawing of an arrow tip.

Appears in