Duō shǎo (many or few, 多少) in Chinese is the word for how many or how much, while duō duō shǎo shǎo (多多少少, many many few few) means more or less, or we can also say huò duō huò shǎo (或多或少, maybe many maybe few).

Competition is created when sēng duō zhōu shǎo (僧多粥少, many monks, little gruel) or láng duō ròu shǎo (狼多肉少, many wolves, little meat). For someone who has seen little of the world, there will be many surprises: shǎo jiàn duō guài (少见多怪, little see much surprise). For someone in serious trouble, we say xiōng duō jí shǎo (凶多吉少, boding ill rather than well); for someone who lets sleeping dogs lie, we would say duō yī shì bù rú shǎo yī shì (多一事不如少一事, one more thing not as good as one less thing); and for everyone, we suggest shǎo shuō duō zuò (少说多做, talk less, act more).

(China Daily 05/30/2007 page15)