/ˈmeni ||; ˈmɛnɪ/det pronoun(used with plural nouns or verbs 与复数名词或动词连用)
1 a large number of people or things 许多；很多；大量: Have you made many friends at school yet? 你在学校里有没有交很多朋友？Not many of my friends smoke. 我的朋友当中很少有人抽烟。Many of the mistakes were just careless. 这些错误很多都只因不小心所致。There are too many mistakes in this essay. 这篇文章里错误太多。
Many in positive sentences sounds quite formal Many schools teach computing nowadays. When speaking or writing informally we usually use a lot of A lot of schools teach computing nowadays.In negative sentences and questions, however, many can always be used without sounding formal I don't know many cheap places to eat. Are there many hotels in this town? many用在肯定句里显得很正式：Many schools teach computing nowadays.如今许多学校教授计算机技术。在非正式的讲话或写作中，通常使用a lot of：A lot of schools teach computing nowadays.如今很多学校教授计算机技术。但在否定句及疑问句中使用many就不显得很正式：I don't know many cheap places to eat.便宜的餐馆我可不认识几家。·Are there many hotels in this town?这个镇上有很多旅馆吗？2 used to ask about the number of people or things, or to refer to a known number （问或指有关人或物的数目）: How many children have you got? 你有几个孩子？How many came to the meeting? 有多少人来开会？I don't work as many hours asyou. 我的工作时间不如你的长。There are half/twice as many boys as girls in the class. 班上的男生是女生的一半╱两倍。
3 (used to form compound adjectives 用于构成复合形容词) having a lot of the thing mentioned 有许多…的: a many-sided shape 多边形
4 many a(formal 正式) (used with a singular noun and verb 与单数名词及动词连用) a large number of 许多；大量: I've heard him say that many a time. 我已多次听过他那样说。
a good/great many very many 很多；极多