Chinese measure words
In Chinese you can't put a number straight before a noun. A measure word goes in between, like 'a cup of' or 'a sheet of' in English, but for every noun.
个 works for many nouns when you're stuck, but the right measure word sounds natural and often tells you something about the shape or kind of thing.
The essentials
- Number or 这/那 + measure word + noun: 三本书, 两杯咖啡, 这个人.
- Use 两, not 二, before a measure word: 两个人.
- Grouped by shape and kind: 张 for flat things, 条 for long ones, 件 for tops and coats, 双 for pairs, 辆 for vehicles, 位 for people (politely).
- Some measure words count actions instead of things: 去过两次, 再说一遍, 看一下.
Every lesson on this topic
Each lesson has a full explanation, examples in characters and pinyin you can listen to, and exercises with answers.
A1 (the A1 course)
- Measure words: 个, 本, 杯, 张, 口, 只: 三本书, 两杯咖啡: a number or 这/那 needs a measure word before the noun.
A2 (the A2 course)
- More measure words: 件, 条, 双, 辆, 位, 把, 块, 张, 种, 些: 一件衬衫, 一条裤子, 一双鞋, 两辆车, 一位老师: measure words grouped by shape and kind.
- How many times: 次, 遍, 下: 去过两次, 再说一遍, 看一下: measure words that count actions instead of things.
In the app, these lessons are taught one idea at a time with audio, practised with questions you can answer in characters or pinyin, and brought back for review.
Other topics
- 了 (le) in Chinese, explained
- 的, 地 and 得: the three de
- The 把 (bǎ) sentence, explained
- 被 (bèi) and the passive in Chinese
- 是…的 (shì…de): when, where and how
- Comparisons with 比 (bǐ)
- 过 (guò) and 着 (zhe): experience and ongoing states
- Chinese complements: result, direction and potential
- Questions in Chinese: 吗, question words and particles
- 不 (bù) or 没 (méi): negation in Chinese
- Chinese conjunctions: because, although, if
- Chengyu: Chinese four-character idioms
- Chinese numbers, dates and time
- Chinese tones and pinyin