Measure words
Foreign LanguagesDefinition
Measure words (also called classifiers) are words required in Chinese between a number or demonstrative and a noun. Different categories of nouns use different measure words. The most common general measure word is '个' (gè), but specific measure words exist for flat objects, books, animals, and more.
Examples
- '一个人' (yí gè rén) — one person (个 is the general measure word)
- '三本书' (sān běn shū) — three books (本 is used for books and bound items)
- '两只猫' (liǎng zhī māo) — two cats (只 is used for small animals)
Key Fact
个 (gè) is the default/general measure word and can be used when you don't know the specific one.
Study This Concept
Practice measure words with free review games in these units: