若干【ruògān】

若干 stands for an unstated number, "a number of", "several". It goes before a noun, with or without a measure word, and belongs to documents, reports and regulations. In everyday talk it sounds stiff: people say 几 or 一些.

A measure word can go between 若干 and the noun. Nouns that count themselves – 问题, 年, 意见, 建议 – usually go without one.

In the title of a set of regulations, 若干 means "certain provisions on", and the document lists them.

After a noun, in a list of items or ingredients, it means "some" with no fixed amount.

Mistakes

若干 states an amount; it never asks one. "How many" is 几 or 多少.

• × 你有若干本书？ → 你有几本书？
• × 若干钱？ → 多少钱？