many

Compared meaning: a large number of things (adjective).

比较义项：数量很多（形容词）。

• many 本词

  the common, all-purpose word for a large number; used in speech and writing, in questions and negatives (how many, not many), and can stand alone as a pronoun (many of them).

  是表示“数量很多”最常用、最通用的词；口语和书面语都可用，能出现在疑问句和否定句中（how many，not many），也能单独作代词使用（many of them）。

  How many chairs do we still need for the wedding reception?

  婚宴我们还需要多少把椅子？

• numerous

  a more formal, mainly written alternative to many; typically used in reports, articles or formal speech, and sounds odd in casual questions or negatives.

  是 many 更正式、主要用于书面语的替代词；常出现在报告、文章或正式发言中，用在随意的疑问句或否定句里会显得不自然。

  The committee received numerous complaints about the new parking policy.

  委员会收到了许多关于新停车政策的投诉。

Many and numerous both mean a large number. Many is common and used in speech, questions, and negatives, like how many or not many. Numerous is more formal, mainly written, and used only before a noun.

many 和 numerous 在“数量很多”这个意义上很接近，但语域和语法搭配不同：many 是最常用、口语和书面语都通用的词，可以用在疑问句和否定句里（how many，not many）；numerous 更正式、更书面化，一般只用来修饰名词，不用于疑问句或否定句。