adverb HSK 4
Traditional 幾乎
almost · nearly · practically

Meaning

几乎 is a common adverb meaning 'almost' or 'nearly,' used to indicate that something is very close to being complete or true, but not quite. It emphasizes that a situation is just short of reaching a certain state or threshold.

Usage

几乎 is typically placed before verbs, adjectives, or entire clauses. It's neutral in register and used in both spoken and written Chinese. Common patterns include 几乎 + verb, 几乎 + adjective, and 几乎 + 所有/每个 (almost all/every). Native speakers use it frequently to express approximation or near-completion.

Examples

  1. 01
    几乎每天都去图书馆学习。
    měi tiān dōu shū guǎn xué .
    I go to the library to study almost every day.
  2. 02
    几乎不吃辣的东西。
    chī de dōng xi.
    He almost never eats spicy food.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 几乎所有
    suǒ yǒu
    almost all
  • 几乎
    hardly, almost not
  • 几乎每天
    měi tiān
    almost every day
  • 几乎一样
    yàng
    almost the same

Antonyms

Origin

几乎 combines 几 (originally 'how many') with the classical particle 乎, which indicates degree or extent. Together they evolved to mean 'almost' or 'nearly,' expressing proximity to a complete state.

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