This is the measure word for what?
What are measure words?
Measure words are words used to count or specify nouns. In English, we say things such as “three ears of corn” or “a pair of jeans”. The words in bold are measure words. In Chinese, measure words precede every noun. This means, unlike in English, every noun in Chinese must correspond with a measure word.
This is the measure word for what?
个
gè
Individual things, people, or general classifier
一个人
yī gè rén
a person
三个星期
sān gè xīng qí
three weeks
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 问题
yī __ wèn tí
a problem
一个问题
yī gè wèn tí
a problem
Remember: gè is used for things, people, and as a general classifier.
This is the measure word for what?
只
zhī
- One of a pair
一只手
yī zhī shǒu
a hand - Animals
一只猫
yī zhī māo
a cat
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 手套
yī __ shǒu tào
a glove
一只手套
yī **zhī **shǒu tào
a glove
Remember: zhī is used for objects that are one of a pair.
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 鸡
yī __ jī
a chicken
一只鸡
yī zhī jī
a chicken
Remember: zhī is used for animals.
This is the measure word for what?
本
běn
Bound print matter (books, periodicals, files, etc.)
一本书
yī běn shū
a book
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 杂志
yī __ zá zhì
a magazine
一本杂志
yī běn zá zhì
a magazine
Remember: běn is used for bound print matter, such as books.
This is the measure word for what?
张
zhāng
Flat objects, “sheet”
一张纸
yī zhāng zhǐ
a sheet of paper
一张桌子
yī zhāng zhuō zi
a table
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
两 ? 纸
liǎng __ zhǐ
two sheets of paper
两张纸
liǎng zhāng zhǐ
two sheets of paper
Remember: zhāng is used for flat objects.
This is the measure word for what?
瓶
píng
Drinks, “bottle”
一瓶水
yī píng shuǐ
a bottle of water
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 汽水
yī __ qì shuǐ
a bottle of soda
一瓶汽水
yī píng qì shuǐ
a bottle of soda
Remember: píng is used for bottled drinks.
This is the measure word for what?
支
zhī
Stick-like objects
一支笔
yī zhī bǐ
a pen
一支吸管
yī zhī xī guǎn
a straw
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
九 ? 笔
jiǔ __ bǐ
nine pens
九支笔
jiǔ zhī bǐ
nine pens
Remember: zhī is used for stick-like objects.
This is the measure word for what?
杯
bēi
Drinks, “cup”
一杯茶
yī bēi chá
a cup of tea
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 咖啡
yī __ kā fēi
a cup of coffee
一杯咖啡
yī bēi kā fēi
a cup of coffee
Remember: bēi is used for drinks in cups.
This is the measure word for what?
块
kuài
Irregularly shaped ojects: land, stone, tofu, meat, etc.; “piece”, “chunk”
一块豆腐
yī kuài dòu fu
a chunk of tofu
一块肉
yī kuài ròu
a piece of meat
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 土地
yī __ tǔ dì
a piece of land
一块土地
yī kuài tǔ dì
a piece of land
Remember: kuài is used for irregularly shaped objects.
This is the measure word for what?
门
mén
Academic-related objects (courses, majors, subjects, etc.)
一门课
yī mén kè
a course
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
三 ? 课
sān __ kè
three classes
三门课
sān mén kè
three classes
Remember: mén is used for academic-related objects, such as classes or majors.
This is the measure word for what?
片
piàn
- Thin, flat objects or irregularly shaped objects
一片信用卡
yī piàn xìn yòng kǎ
a credit card - “Slice”
一片面包
yī piàn miàn bāo
a slice of bread
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 信用卡
yī __ xìn yòng kǎ
a credit card
一片信用卡
yī piàn xìn yòng kǎ
a credit card
Remember: piàn is used for thin, flat objects, or irregularly shaped objects.
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 奶酪
yī __ nǎi lào
a slice of cheese
一片奶酪
yī piàn nǎi lào
a slice of cheese
Remember: piàn is a measure word that can mean “slice”.
This is the measure word for what?
件
jiàn
- Matters (affairs)
一件事情
yī jiàn shì qíng
a matter (affair) - Clothing
一件衬衫
yī jiàn chèn shān
a shirt
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 事情
yī __ shì qíng
a matter (affair)
一件事情
yī jiàn shì qíng
a matter (affair)
Remember: jiàn is used for matters (affairs).
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一** ? **大衣
yī __ dà yī
a coat
一件大衣
yī jiàn dà yī
a coat
Remember: jiàn is used for clothing.
This is the measure word for what?
条
tiáo
- Long, narrow, flexible objects
一条狗
yī tiáo gǒu
a dog - Roads
一条路
yī tiáo lù
a road
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 狗
yī __ gǒu
a dog
一条狗
yī tiáo gǒu
a dog
Remember: *tiáo *is used for long, narrow, flexible objects. In this case, “dog” and “fish” are exceptions to the 只 classifier for animals.
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 路
yī __ lù
a road
一条路
yī tiáo lù
a road
Remember: tiáo is used for roads.
This is the measure word for what?
把
bǎ
Objects that can be held, usually long and flat objects (e.g. knives, scissors, keys, etc.)
一把钥匙
yī bǎ yào shi
a key
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
两 ? 刀
liǎng __ dāo
two knives
两把刀
liǎng bǎ dāo
two knives
Remember: bǎ is used for objects that can be held, such as knives.
This is the measure word for what?
台
tái
Heavy objects, especially machines
一台电视
yī tái diàn shì
a TV
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一** ? **电脑
yī __ diàn nǎo
a computer
一台电视
yī tái diàn nǎo
a computer
Remember: tái is used for heavy objects, particularly machines.
This is the measure word for what?
篇
piān
Written work, such as essays or articles.
一篇文章
yī piān wén zhāng
an essay, an article
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 论文
yī __ lùn wén
a paper, a thesis
一篇论文
yī piān lùn wén
a paper, a thesis
Remember: piān is used for written work, such as essays or articles.
This is the measure word for what?
包
bāo
Items in bags or packages; bundle
一包香烟
yī bāo xiāng yān
a packet of cigarettes
一包饼干
yī bāo bǐng gān
a packet of cookies
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 饼干
yī __ bǐng gān
a packet of cookies
一包并刚
yī bāo bǐng gān
a packet of cookies
Remember: bāo means “package” or “bundle”.
This is the measure word for what?
层
céng
Story, layer
八层楼
bā céng lóu
eight stories (of a building)
三层蛋糕
sān céng dàn gāo
three-layer cake
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
五 ? 楼
wǔ __ lóu
five stories (of a building)
五层楼
wǔ céng lóu
five stories (of a building)
Remember: céng means “story” or “layer”.
This is the measure word for what?
辆
liàng
Wheeled vehicles, such as cars or bicycles
五辆自行车
wǔ liàng zì xíng chē
five bicycles
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 车
yī __ chē
a car
一辆车
yī liàng chē
a car
Remember: liàng is used with wheeled vehicles.
This is the measure word for what?
朵
duo
Flowers, clouds
一朵花
yī duo huā
a flower
一朵云
yī duo yún
a cloud
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
四 ? 花
sì __ huā
four flowers
四朵花
sì duo huā
four flowers
Remember: duo is used for flowers and clouds.
This is the measure word for what?
根
gēn
Thin, slender objects; string
一根线
yī gēn xiàn
a thread / wire
一根针
yī gēn zhēn
a needle
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 针
yī __ zhēn
a needle
一根针
yī gēn zhēn
a needle
Remember: gēn is used for thin, slender objects, as well as string.
This is the measure word for what?
群
qún
Groups of people or animals
一群人
yī qún rén
a crowd / group of people
一群鱼
yī qún yú
a school of fish
Fill in the blank with the proper measure word:
一 ? 鹅
yī __ é
a flock of geese
一群鹅
yī qún é
a flock of geese
Remember: qún is used for groups of people or animals.