Use much with uncountable nouns, like water, time, and money, because you cannot count them as separate items. Use many with countable plural nouns, like books, people, and questions, because you can count them. This distinction affects the noun form that follows and is one of the most common ways English marks countable versus uncountable quantity.

Countable nouns have singular and plural forms and can be counted with numbers. After many, the noun must be plural because you are talking about multiple items. You can also use many without the noun when the meaning is clear from context.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
countable noun	🔤 可数名词	A noun you can count as separate items	一个你可以把其作为单独项来计数的名词	I have three apples.	📌 我有三个苹果。
many + plural noun	🔤 many + 复数名词	Large number of countable items	大量可数项	She has many friends.	📌 她有许多朋友。
many as pronoun	🔤 many 作为代词	Many used without repeating the noun	Many 用于不重复名词时	Many were invited, but few came.	📌 很多人被邀请，但来的人很少。

Uncountable nouns do not usually have a plural form when referring to the substance or concept in general. After much, the noun stays in its base form because it is treated as a mass or an idea rather than separate items. Much can also stand alone when the noun is understood.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
uncountable noun	🔤 不可数名词	A noun treated as a mass or concept, not separate items	被视为质量或概念，而非分离的项	We don’t have time.	📌 我们没有时间了。
much + uncountable noun	🔤 much + 不可数名词	Large amount of an uncountable thing	不可数事物的大量	There isn’t much water left.	📌 还剩下不多的水。
much as pronoun	🔤 much 作为代词	Much used without repeating the noun	Much 用于不重复名词时	I don’t have much to say.	📌 我没有太多要说的。

Choose many when the noun is countable and plural, and choose much when the noun is uncountable. If you can naturally ask How many and answer with a number, use many. If you naturally ask How much and answer with an amount, a measurement, or a general quantity, use much.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use many with plural countable nouns	🧩 在可数名词的复数形式中使用 many	How many chairs are there? There are many chairs.	📌 多少把椅子？有很多椅子。
Use much with uncountable nouns	🧩 在不可数名词中使用 much	How much sugar do we need? Not much sugar.	📌 我们需要多少糖？不需要太多糖。
If you can count it, prefer many	🧩 如果你能数清，请偏好 many	Many emails arrived today.	📌 今天来了一封又一封的邮件。
If you measure it as a mass or amount, prefer much	🧩 如果以质量或数量来衡量，请偏好 much	Much progress was made.	📌 取得了很大进展。

In questions, much and many directly match the type of noun you ask about. How many is used with countable plural nouns, while How much is used with uncountable nouns. These question forms also guide the expected kind of answer: a number for many, and an amount or degree for much.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
How many + plural countable noun	❓ How many + 可数复数名词	How many meetings do you have today?	📌 你今天有多少次会议？
How much + uncountable noun	❓ How much + 不可数名词	How much information do we have?	📌 我们有多少信息？
How much + degree or extent	❓ How much + 程度或范围	How much does it matter?	📌 这有多重要？

In negative statements, much and many are common and sound natural in neutral English. Use many with plural countable nouns and much with uncountable nouns. This is one of the most frequent everyday patterns, especially with not, never, and hardly.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
not many + plural countable noun	🚫 不多的 + 可数复数名词	We don’t have many options.	📌 我们没有太多选项。
not much + uncountable noun	🚫 不多的 + 不可数名词	I don’t have much patience today.	📌 我今天没有太多耐心。
hardly many or hardly any with countables	🚫 对于可数名词，几乎没有很多或几乎没有	There are hardly any seats left.	📌 现在几乎没有座位了。

In affirmative sentences, much is less common in everyday conversation and can sound formal or emphatic. Many is also sometimes replaced by alternatives like a lot of in casual speech. Much is more natural in affirmative sentences with too, so, as, or very, because it emphasizes degree rather than simple quantity.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Many is fine in affirmative, but can sound formal in some contexts	🗣️ 在肯定句中使用 Many 在肯定语境中是可以的，但在某些情境下可能显得正式	Many students enjoy the course.	📌 许多学生喜欢这门课程。
Much in affirmative often sounds formal or emphatic	🗣️ 肯定句中 Much 往往显得正式或强调	Much effort went into this project.	📌 为这个项目投入了大量努力。
Much is natural with degree words like too or so	🗣️ 与 too 或 so 等程度副词搭配时 Much 更自然	That’s too much noise.	📌 那个声音太大了。

English often uses alternative phrases instead of much and many, especially in affirmative sentences. A lot of works with both countable and uncountable nouns and is very common in speech. Lots of is more informal, and plenty of suggests more than enough, often with a positive tone.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
a lot of	🔁 a lot of	Common neutral quantity for countable and uncountable nouns	对可数和不可数名词都常用的中性数量	We have a lot of work and a lot of emails.	📌 我们有很多工作和大量电子邮件。
lots of	🔁 lots of	Informal version of a lot of	a lot of 的非正式版本	There are lots of people here.	📌 这里有很多人。
plenty of	🔁 plenty of	More than enough, often positive	超过足够，通常积极	We have plenty of time.	📌 我们有充足的时间。

Much can describe degree or intensity, not only amount of a noun. In these cases, it can modify comparatives and expressions like too much, so much, and this much, focusing on how strong or significant something is. Many does not work this way and stays tied to counting plural items.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
much + comparative	📈 much + 比较级	This version is much better.	📌 这个版本好得多。
so much or too much for intensity	📈 so much or too much 表示强度	Thank you so much.	📌 非常感谢。
much of + singular idea or group	📈 much of + 单数概念或群体	Much of the discussion was about safety.	📌 讨论的很大一部分是关于安全的。

Use many of with plural countable nouns that are specific, often with determiners like the, these, my, or numbers. Use much of with uncountable nouns that are specific, often with the or my. These forms help you quantify a defined group or a particular amount rather than speaking generally.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
many of + the or these + plural countable noun	🧷 many of + the or these + 复数可数名词	Many of the guests left early.	📌 许多来宾提前离开。
much of + the or my + uncountable noun	🧷 much of + the or my + 不可数名词	Much of the furniture is new.	📌 大部分家具是新的。
many of + pronoun	🧷 many of + 代词	Many of them agree.	📌 他们中的很多人同意。