将近 vs 大约: what is the difference?
将近 means the amount is just under the number: 将近十点 is a little before ten. 大约 does not say which side, so 大约十点 may be a little before or after.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 将近 | jiāngjìn | Means "almost" and shows the amount is just under the number. | 将近 + number + measure word |
| 大约 | dàyuē | Means "roughly" and comes before the number or the time word. | 大约 + number/time |
将近 (jiāngjìn)
Means "almost" and shows the amount is just under the number.
Structure: 将近 + number + measure word
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我在这儿住了将近五年。 | Wǒ zài zhèr zhù le jiāng jìn wǔ nián. | I have lived here for almost five years. |
| 这本书将近三百页。 | Zhè běn shū jiāng jìn sān bǎi yè. | This book is almost three hundred pages. |
| 参加比赛的有将近一千人。 | Cān jiā bǐ sài de yǒu jiāng jìn yì qiān rén. | Nearly one thousand people took part in the contest. |
Not: 我学了将近三年多。 将近 means just under and 多 means over, so they clash. Say 将近三年 or 三年多.
大约 (dàyuē)
Means "roughly" and comes before the number or the time word.
Structure: 大约 + number/time
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 大约再过十分钟，火车就到了。 | Dà yuē zài guò shí fēn zhōng, huǒ chē jiù dào le. | In about ten more minutes, the train will arrive. |
| 从我家到公司大约要四十分钟。 | Cóng wǒ jiā dào gōng sī dà yuē yào sì shí fēn zhōng. | It takes about forty minutes from my home to the office. |
| 他大约三十岁，看起来很年轻。 | Tā dà yuē sān shí suì, kàn qǐ lái hěn nián qīng. | He is about thirty, but looks young. |
Not: 他三十岁大约。 大约 goes before the number: 他大约三十岁.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Approximation: 左右/大约/差不多/将近 (HSK 4) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 按照 vs 根据 · 不敢 vs 不能 · 及时 vs 立刻 · 记住 vs 记得 · 渐渐 vs 逐渐 · 竟然 vs 居然 · 既然 vs 因为 · 看不懂 vs 没看懂 · 了 vs 过 · 连…都 vs 连…也 · 没有 vs 不如 · 却 vs 但是 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 将近 and 大约?
将近 means the amount is just under the number: 将近十点 is a little before ten. 大约 does not say which side, so 大约十点 may be a little before or after.
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