差不多
Everyday phraseCommon
Almost / Roughly the same / Good enough
What does 差不多 mean?
差不多 — Signals that something is close rather than exact. The comparison or current task determines what it is close to.
✓Almost there.
✓About the same.
✓Close enough for now.
差不多 can compare two things or mark that a job is nearly finished. “差不多了” may also mean it is time to stop, depending on context.
Character breakdown
Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.
Real-world examples
1 · Nearly finished
A: 你收拾完了吗？
nǐ shōushi wán le ma?
A: Are you done packing up?
B: 差不多了，再等我两分钟。
chà bu duō le, zài děng wǒ liǎng fēnzhōng.
B: Almost. Give me two more minutes.
2 · Comparing two options
A: 这两件衣服价格一样吗？
zhè liǎng jiàn yīfu jiàgé yíyàng ma?
A: Do these two clothes cost the same?
B: 差不多，蓝色的贵一点。
chà bu duō, lánsè de guì yìdiǎn.
B: About the same; the blue one is a little more expensive.
How to pronounce 差不多
差不多
Tap to hear Mandarin.
Usage notes
✓It does not assert exact equality.
✓Add 了 when a process is almost complete.
✓In casual speech, it can mean adequate rather than perfect.
Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.
Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.