Numbers, 几 and 多少 — Chinese grammar (HSK 1)

几 + Measure word + Noun / 多少 + (Measure word) + Noun

Both 几 (jǐ) and 多少 (duōshao) mean "how many / how much". Use 几 when you expect a small number (under ten) and it must be followed by a measure word: 几个, 几岁, 几点. Use 多少 for larger or unknown amounts, and the measure word is optional: 多少钱, 多少人.

Examples

你女儿几岁？ Nǐ nǚ'ér jǐ suì?	How old is your daughter?
现在几点？ Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?	What time is it now?
这本书多少钱？ Zhè běn shū duōshao qián?	How much is this book?

Tip: Remember 几 is only for small numbers; asking 几钱 sounds odd, say 多少钱.