Quantity Complements: Action Count and Comparison Degree

Chinese grammar · HSK 2 · 数量补语 · By Carson 木林森 · Updated October 2026

A quantity complement follows the verb and counts the action or measures a difference. 次 counts how many times an action happens, as in 去过两次, and 一点儿 and 得多 show how much two things differ.

比较补语 (comparison degree complement) — after 比 comparisons, add a specific quantity after the adjective:
A 比 B + Adj + 一点儿 (a little) / Number+岁/年/… (exact difference) / 得多 or 多了 (a lot):
他比我大两岁。(He's two years older than me.) 这个比那个贵得多。(This one is much more expensive.)

Worked examples

Word by word

Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.

次 (cì)

Counts how many times an action happens.

Structure: Verb + number + 次 (+ object)

Not: 我找过两次他。 A pronoun object goes before the count: 我找过他两次.

In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, measure words (动量词).

次 is also explained in: Duration & Frequency Complements (HSK 3) · Action measure words: 次/遍/趟/顿/场 (HSK 4) · Frequency complement: V+次/遍/趟 (HSK 4).

一点儿 (yì diǎn)

Gives a small difference between two things, after the adjective.

Structure: A + 比 + B + adj + 一点儿

Not: 他比我一点儿高。 一点儿 follows the adjective: 他比我高一点儿.

得多 (de duō)

Says the difference is large.

Structure: A + 比 + B + adj + 得多

Not: 他比我得多高。 得多 follows the adjective: 他比我高得多.

得多 is also explained in: 比 extended: degree & verb phrases (HSK 4).

Produce this pattern without stopping to think about it. GraphChinese drills Quantity Complements across 13 exercises and schedules the review that keeps it.

What you need first

Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.

• Large Numbers

What this opens up

These patterns list Quantity Complements among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.

• Duration & Frequency Complements

Questions about Quantity Complements

What does 数量补语 (Quantity Complements) mean in Chinese?

A quantity complement follows the verb and counts the action or measures a difference. 次 counts how many times an action happens, as in 去过两次, and 一点儿 and 得多 show how much two things differ. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.

How do you use 数量补语 (Quantity Complements) in a sentence?

我去过中国两次。 — Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó liǎng cì. — I've been to China twice. Basic action-measure complement: Verb+过/了 + Number + 次.

What do you need to know before 数量补语 (Quantity Complements)?

Large Numbers (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.

What does 数量补语 (Quantity Complements) lead to?

Duration & Frequency Complements (HSK 3). Each of them names 数量补语 (Quantity Complements) among its own prerequisites.

Where does the number go: 去了两次北京 or 去了北京两次?

With a place name both orders are fine. With a pronoun object the count comes second, so say 我找过他两次, not 我找过两次他。

How do I show a small or large difference in a comparison?

After the adjective add 一点儿 for a small gap and 得多 for a big one. 他比我高一点儿 is a little taller, and 他比我高得多 is much taller.

Related guides: All 195 grammar points · HSK 2 grammar · How to pass HSK 2 · The HSK levels, explained