Measure Words (Classifiers) in Chinese 量词
liàngcí
Measure word in Chinese is 量词 (liàng cí).
Also searched for as: chinese classifiers, counting words, measure word ge.
How do you count people and things? 15 essential measure words words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
In Chinese you can't put a number straight in front of a noun; you need a measure word in between, so 'three apples' is 三个苹果 (sān ge píng guǒ). 个 (gè) is the all-rounder, but natives use specific ones such as 本 (běn) for books, 张 (zhāng) for flat things and 只 (zhī) for animals. Using the right one makes your Chinese sound noticeably more natural.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 个 | gè | general measure word |
| 位 | wèi | polite measure word for people |
| 口 | kǒu | measure word for family members |
| 本 | běn | measure word for books |
| 张 | zhāng | measure word for flat things |
| 件 | jiàn | measure word for items, clothes |
| 只 | zhī | measure word for animals |
| 条 | tiáo | measure word for long things |
| 双 | shuāng | pair |
| 杯 | bēi | cup; glass |
| 辆 | liàng | measure word for vehicles |
| 块 | kuài | piece; yuan (spoken) |
| 次 | cì | time (occurrence) |
| 些 | xiē | some |
| 种 | zhǒng | kind; type |
Usage tips
- 位 (wèi) is the polite measure word for people: restaurant staff ask 几位？ (jǐ wèi), 'how many of you?', and you'd introduce a guest as 这位 (zhè wèi) rather than 这个人.
- Measure words also come after 这 (zhè), 那 (nà) and 哪 (nǎ) in careful speech, so 'this shirt' is 这件衬衫 (zhè jiàn chèn shān).
- 条 (tiáo) covers long, thin things such as trousers, rivers, roads and fish, and is often used for dogs too, while 只 (zhī) is the general choice for animals.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the measure word, as in 三苹果: always add one, 三个苹果 (sān ge píng guǒ).
- Using 二 (èr) with a measure word, as in 二本书: say 两本书 (liǎng běn shū).
- Using 个 for things that come in pairs, as in 一个鞋: for a pair of shoes, say 一双鞋 (yī shuāng xié).
Mini dialogue
- A你好，几位？Nǐ hǎo, jǐ wèi?Hello, how many of you?
- B两位。请给我们两杯茶。Liǎng wèi. Qǐng gěi wǒ men liǎng bēi chá.Two. Two cups of tea, please.
- A好的。还要什么？Hǎo de. Hái yào shén me?Sure. Anything else?
- B再要一张菜单，谢谢。Zài yào yī zhāng cài dān, xiè xie.Another menu too, thanks.
Example sentences
- 我买了三个苹果。I bought three apples.
- 这位是我们的新老师。This is our new teacher.
- 我家有四口人。There are four people in my family.
- 我借了两本书。I borrowed two books.
- 请给我一张纸。Please give me a sheet of paper.
- 这件衬衫很好看。This shirt looks nice.
- 她家有一只小狗。Her family has a little dog.
- 这条裤子太长了。These trousers are too long.
- 我想买一双新鞋。I want to buy a new pair of shoes.
- 我每天早上喝一杯茶。I drink a cup of tea every morning.
- 门口停着一辆红色的车。There's a red car parked by the door.
- 这个面包三块钱。This bread roll costs three yuan.
- 我去过北京两次。I've been to Beijing twice.
- 我买了一些水果。I bought some fruit.
- 你喜欢哪种颜色？Which colour do you like?
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Measure words speaking island has 8 everyday questions about measure words to prepare your own answers to.