多多少少

duōduōshǎoshǎo
adverb #26,689

Meanings

  1. 1 to some extent
  2. 2 more or less
  3. 3 somewhat

Characters

Reduplication of the … pair to express 'somewhere between more and less', i.e., to some indeterminate degree.

Examples

Zhè jiàn shì duōduō shǎoshǎo yǐngxiǎng le tā de qíngxù.
This matter affected his mood to some extent.
Nǐ duōduō shǎoshǎo yào chéngdān yīxiē zérèn.
You are more or less responsible for some of this.
Tā duōduō shǎoshǎo yǒuxiē shīwàng.
He is somewhat disappointed.

Tips

usage
多多少少 is a reduplicated form of the pair (many/much) and (few/little). It softens a statement, implying something is true but to an uncertain or modest degree. Similar in function to 多少 but more emphatic.
grammar
Often used before adjectives or verbs to indicate a partial, hedged degree: 多多少少有些… (somewhat…), 多多少少受到影响 (affected to some extent).

Stroke Order

duō
shǎo