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Chinese measure words

Chinese measure words

In Chinese a number never meets a noun directly: a measure word goes between, 一本书 “one book”. Which one depends on the thing's shape and kind.

Word	What it counts	Example
个 gè	the all-purpose measure word for people and many objects	一个苹果 Yí gè píngguǒ An apple
次 cì	times, occasions	去过一次北京 Qù guo yí cì Běijīng Been to Beijing once
种 zhǒng	kinds, types	一种水果 Yì zhǒng shuǐguǒ A kind of fruit
位 wèi	polite for people: teacher, guest	一位老师 Yí wèi lǎoshī A teacher
本 běn	books, notebooks, magazines	一本书 Yì běn shū A book
家 jiā	businesses: restaurant, shop, company	一家饭馆 Yì jiā fànguǎn A restaurant
张 zhāng	flat things: paper, tables, beds, tickets, faces	一张桌子 Yì zhāng zhuōzi A table
件 jiàn	clothes (tops), matters, luggage	一件衣服 Yí jiàn yīfu A piece of clothing
条 tiáo	long and narrow: fish, rivers, roads, trousers, dogs	一条鱼 Yì tiáo yú A fish
只 zhī	animals, birds, insects; one of a pair	一只猫 Yì zhī māo A cat
杯 bēi	cups, glasses, mugs	一杯水 Yì bēi shuǐ A glass of water
块 kuài	pieces and lumps: cake, soap, meat; also yuan in speech	一块蛋糕 Yí kuài dàngāo A piece of cake
份 fèn	portions, sets, newspapers, jobs	一份工作 Yí fèn gōngzuò A job
双 shuāng	pairs: shoes, chopsticks, socks	一双鞋 Yì shuāng xié A pair of shoes
部 bù	films, phones, series, large works	一部电影 Yí bù diànyǐng A film
句 jù	sentences, phrases	一句话 Yí jù huà A sentence
瓶 píng	bottles	一瓶啤酒 Yì píng píjiǔ A bottle of beer
辆 liàng	wheeled vehicles: cars, bikes, buses	一辆车 Yí liàng chē A car
把 bǎ	things with a handle: chairs, umbrellas, knives, keys	一把椅子 Yì bǎ yǐzi A chair
台 tái	machines and appliances: computers, TVs	一台电脑 Yì tái diànnǎo A computer
口 kǒu	family members; mouthfuls, wells	我家有四口人 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén There are four people in my family
对 duì	couples and matched pairs: spouses, earrings	一对夫妻 Yí duì fūqī A married couple
支 zhī	stick-like things: pens, cigarettes, troops	一支笔 Yì zhī bǐ A pen
场 chǎng	events: rain, a match, a show	一场雨 Yì chǎng yǔ A rainfall
首 shǒu	songs and poems	一首歌 Yì shǒu gē A song
封 fēng	letters and sealed things	一封信 Yì fēng xìn A letter
顿 dùn	meals, scoldings	一顿饭 Yí dùn fàn A meal
遍 biàn	times through from start to end	再说一遍 Zài shuō yí biàn Say it once more
节 jié	classes, train cars, sections	一节课 Yì jié kè A class
层 céng	floors, layers	三层楼 Sān céng lóu A three-storey building
套 tào	sets: flats, outfits, book sets	一套房子 Yí tào fángzi A flat
间 jiān	rooms	一间卧室 Yì jiān wòshì A bedroom
座 zuò	large fixed things: mountains, bridges, buildings	一座山 Yí zuò shān A mountain
棵 kē	trees and plants	一棵树 Yì kē shù A tree
朵 duǒ	flowers, clouds	一朵花 Yì duǒ huā A flower
片 piàn	slices, flat bits; stretches	一片面包 Yí piàn miànbāo A slice of bread
头 tóu	large livestock: cows, pigs, donkeys	一头牛 Yì tóu niú A cow
匹 pǐ	horses	一匹马 Yì pǐ mǎ A horse
架 jià	planes, pianos, cameras	一架飞机 Yí jià fēijī A plane
颗 kē	small round things: stars, pearls, teeth, hearts	一颗星星 Yì kē xīngxing A star
粒 lì	grains, granules	一粒米 Yí lì mǐ A grain of rice
根 gēn	slender things: sticks, hairs, ropes	一根头发 Yì gēn tóufa A hair
道 dào	dishes, questions, doors, lines	一道菜 Yí dào cài A dish
门 mén	school subjects, skills, trades	一门课 Yì mén kè A course
段 duàn	sections: time, road, text	一段时间 Yí duàn shíjiān A period of time
篇 piān	articles, essays, texts	一篇文章 Yì piān wénzhāng An article
幅 fú	paintings, posters, cloth	一幅画 Yì fú huà A painting
群 qún	flocks and groups	一群人 Yì qún rén A group of people
碗 wǎn	bowls of food	一碗米饭 Yì wǎn mǐfàn A bowl of rice
盒 hé	boxes	一盒牛奶 Yì hé niúnǎi A carton of milk
包 bāo	packs, bags	一包糖 Yì bāo táng A bag of sweets
页 yè	pages	一页纸 Yí yè zhǐ A sheet of paper
滴 dī	drops	一滴水 Yì dī shuǐ A drop of water
所 suǒ	schools, hospitals, houses	一所学校 Yì suǒ xuéxiào A school
枝 zhī	branches and stemmed flowers	一枝花 Yì zhī huā A spray of flowers

Questions and answers

What is a measure word?

A word that goes between a number (or 这 “this”, 那 “that”) and a noun: 一本书 “one book”, 这张桌子 “this table”. Chinese can't say “two books” without one.

Can I just use 个 everywhere?

In speech 个 often gets you by, but with books, sheets, animals and cars native speakers say 本, 张, 只, 辆 — that's what sounds natural. HSK 1–2 test the common ones.

How do I pick a measure word?

By the thing's shape and kind: long and bendy — 条 (fish, river, trousers); flat — 张 (table, ticket); with a handle — 把 (chair, knife); vehicles — 辆; buildings — 座 or 栋.

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