How to indicate plurality/singularity I'm aware that basic Chinese grammar tends to lack distinction between the plural and singular forms of many nouns. For example, 我的朋友是中国人 could either mean "my friend is Chinese" (singular) or "my friends are Chinese" (plural).

While there could obviously be cultural reasons why the differences between these two sentences mightn't matter, what if they do?  If the number of friends is known, could one simply put 一个, 两个, 三个, etc. in front of 朋友, or is there a better, less kludgy way to do this?  What if there's an unknown (but plural) number of friends?

In short, what are some of the best ways to indicate or emphasize the plurality or singularity of nouns in ambiguous cases such as these?
You can also use 好 to emphasize many:


  我有好几个朋友 Wǒ yǒu hǎojǐ gè péngyǒu - I have lots of friends
  
  好多人来看我 Hǎoduō rén lái kàn wǒ - Many people came to see me


In this case the 好 is strongly emphasized.

好几个 = Lots

好多 = Very many



To suggest some or a few:


  我有几个朋友来看我 Wǒ yǒu jǐ gè péngyǒu lái kàn wǒ - I have some friends coming to see me
  
  有一些同学跟我一起去看电影 Yǒu yīxiē tóngxué gēn wǒ yīqǐ qù kàn diànyǐng - Some of my classmates will go with me to watch a movie


几个 = Some

一些 = A few



To emphasize singularity:


  我只有一个朋友 Wǒ zhǐyǒu yīgè péngyǒu - I only have one friend 
  
  你是唯一来看我的人 Nǐ shì wéi yī lái kàn wǒ de rén  - You are the only person to come
  and see me


只有 = Only have

唯一的 = The only one