Difference between revisions of "Language/Mandarin-chinese/Vocabulary/Measure-words"

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[[File:Chinese-measure-words.jpg|thumb|none]]
[[File:Chinese-measure-words.jpg|thumb|none]]


In Chinese, in order to specify a certain number of something, you combine a number with a '''measure word''', followed by the noun.
In Chinese, in order to specify a certain number of something, you combine a number with a '''measure word''' or '''classifier''', followed by the noun.


You need to know the right measure word when asking a "how much/many?" question using "jǐ 几." For example,
You need to know the right measure word when asking a "how much/many?" question using "jǐ 几".


  Below is a comprehensive list of Chinese measure words and how to use them.
  Below is a comprehensive list of Chinese measure words and how to use them.
Line 10: Line 10:
  !|Character
  !|Character
  !|Pinyin
  !|Pinyin
  !|Usage
  !|Usage or meaning
!Example
!Example
  |-
  |-
Line 17: Line 17:
   |string of the same things
   |string of the same things
|一串葡萄 a bunch of grapes
|一串葡萄 a bunch of grapes
|-
|-
|''事''
|''shì''
|''piece of garment''
|
|-
   |册
   |册
   |cè
   |cè
Line 52: Line 57:
   |unit of weight, 50 grams for now
   |unit of weight, 50 grams for now
|半斤八两 half jin and eight liang (idiom, at the same level, derogatory)
|半斤八两 half jin and eight liang (idiom, at the same level, derogatory)
|-
|-
|''举''
|''jǔ''
|''outdated weight unit, 3 liǎng''
|
|-
|美
|měi
|mel scale
|
|-
   |具
   |具
   |jù
   |jù
   |coffin, corpse, bracket clock
   |coffin, corpse, bracket clock, ...
|一具棺材 a coffin
|一具棺材 a coffin
  |-
  |-
Line 101: Line 116:
   |set of thing, attitude
   |set of thing, attitude
|一副盔甲 a suit of armor, 一副笑脸 a smiling face
|一副盔甲 a suit of armor, 一副笑脸 a smiling face
|-
|-
|些
|xiē
|some, somewhat
|一些人 some people
|-
   |匝
   |匝
   |zā
   |zā
Line 111: Line 131:
   |team
   |team
|一队士兵 a team of soldiers
|一队士兵 a team of soldiers
|-
|-
|''陌''
|''mò''
|''outdated monetary unit, 100 wén''
|
|-
|''陔''
|''gāi''
|''stage''
|
|-
   |部
   |部
   |bù
   |bù
Line 161: Line 191:
   |time of amount
   |time of amount
|两倍收入 twice income
|两倍收入 twice income
|-
|-
|''儋''
|''dàn''
|''outdated unit of weight''
|
|-
|''卖''
|''mài''
|''dish''
|''一卖杂烩 a dish of chowder''
|-
   |亩
   |亩
   |mǔ
   |mǔ
Line 206: Line 246:
   |ware bundled with grass
   |ware bundled with grass
|一荮盘子 a bundle of plates
|一荮盘子 a bundle of plates
|-
|-
|''落''
|''luò''
|''pile''
|
|-
   |蓬
   |蓬
   |péng
   |péng
Line 221: Line 266:
|urging guests to drink
|urging guests to drink
|酒过三巡 after three times of persuading to drink
|酒过三巡 after three times of persuading to drink
|-
|''过''
|''guò''
|''number of times''
|
|-
|''进''
|''jìn''
|''layer''
|
|-
|通
|tōng
|number of times
|一通电话 a phone call
|-
|''造''
|''zào''
|''number of times of harvest''
|
|-
|-
   |遍
   |遍
   |biàn
   |biàn
   |time of action
   |number of times of action
|看一遍 look at it one time
|看一遍 look at it one time
  |-
  |-
Line 269: Line 334:
   |张
   |张
   |zhāng
   |zhāng
   |piece of paper, table, mouth, bow
   |piece of paper, table, chair, mouth, bow, ...
|一张明信片 a postcard
|一张明信片 a postcard
  |-
  |-
Line 276: Line 341:
   |curved moon
   |curved moon
|一弯明月 a curved bright moon
|一弯明月 a curved bright moon
|-
|-
|开
|kāi
|karat, folds of folio
|
|-
|''庄''
|''zhuāng''
|''number of matters''
|
|-
   |床
   |床
   |chuáng
   |chuáng
Line 287: Line 362:
|一座山 a mountain
|一座山 a mountain
  |-
  |-
   |庹
   |''''
   |tuǒ
   |''tuǒ''
   |outddated, length of stretched arms
   |''outddated, length of stretched arms''
|
|
  |-
  |-
Line 295: Line 370:
   |tiě
   |tiě
   |mixed decotion
   |mixed decotion
|一帖中药
|一帖中药 a dose of Chinese medicine
  |-
  |-
   |帧
   |帧
Line 306: Line 381:
   |table of meal
   |table of meal
|一席酒 a table of wine
|一席酒 a table of wine
|-
|-
  |常
|''''
  |
|''cháng''
  |
|''outdated unit of length, 1 zhàng 4 chǐ''
|
|
|-
|-
   |幅
   |幅
   |
   |
   |
   |paintiing, cloth
|
|一幅画 a painting
  |-
  |-
   |幢
   |幢
   |
   |zhuàng
   |
   |building
|
|一幢大楼 a large building
  |-
  |-
   |口
   |口
   |
   |kǒu
   |
   |well, mouthful of food, ...
|
|一口井 a well
  |-
  |-
   |句
   |句
   |
   |
   |
   |sentence
|
|一句话  a sentence
  |-
  |-
   |号
   |号
   |
   |hào
   |
   |people
|
|几十号人 tens of people
  |-
  |-
   |台
   |台
   |
   |tái
   |
   |drama, aparatus, ...
|
|一台电视 a television
  |-
  |-
   |只
   |只
   |
   |zhī
   |
   |animal, wing, ...
|
|一只老虎 a tiger
  |-
  |-
   |吊
   |''''
   |
   |''diào''
   |
   |''outdated monetery unit, 1000 coins''
|
|
  |-
  |-
   |合
   |合
   |
   |
   |
   |volume unit, 1/10 litre;
 
outdated untelsil for grains
|
|
  |-
  |-
   |名
   |名
   |
   |míng
   |
   |people
|
|一名商人 a merchant
  |-
  |-
   |吨
   |吨
   |
   |dūn
   |
   |ton;
 
volume unit for ship, 2.83 cubic metres
|
|
  |-
  |-
   |和
   |和
   |
   |huò
   |
   |time of changing water
|
|洗了三和 washed three times
  |-
  |-
   |味
   |味
   |
   |wèi
   |
   |kind of medicinal herb
|
|五味药  five kinds of medicinal herb
  |-
  |-
   |响
   |响
   |
   |xiǎng
   |
   |number of times of sound
|
|双响 two times of sound
  |-
  |-
   |骑
   |骑
   |
   |
   |
   |person with horse
|
|千乘万骑 thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalry
  |-
  |-
   |门
   |门
   |
   |mén
   |
   |cannon
|
|一门大炮  a big cannon
  |-
  |-
   |间
   |间
   |
   |jiān
   |
   |room
|
|一间公寓  an apartment
  |-
  |-
   |阕
   |阕
   |
   |què
   |
   |lyrics
|
|一阕词 a line of verse
  |-
  |-
   |宗
   |宗
   |
   |zōng
   |
   |matter
|
|一宗诉讼  a lawsuit
  |-
  |-
   |客
   |客
   |
   |
   |
   |sale of food
|
|一客冰淇淋 an ice-cream
  |-
  |-
   |家
   |家
   |
   |jiā
   |
   |family, shop or enterprise, ...
|一家店铺 a shop
|-
|''彪''
|''biāo''
|''outdated, troop''
|
|
|-
|-
  |彪
  |
  |
|
|-
   |层
   |层
   |
   |céng
   |
   |layer
|
|一层楼 a floor
  |-
  |-
   |尾
   |尾
   |
   |wěi
   |
   |fish
|
|一尾鱼 a fish
  |-
  |-
   |届
   |届
   |
   |jiè
   |
   |term of meeting or the group of students to graduate
|
|一届会议 a meeting
  |-
  |-
   |声
   |声
   |
   |shēng
   |
   |number of times of sound
|
|一声叹息 a sigh
  |-
  |-
   |扎
   |扎
   |
   |
   |
   |bunch
|
|一扎钱 a bunch of cash
  |-
  |-
   |打
   |打
   |
   |
   |
   |dozen
|
|一打铅笔 a dozen pencils
  |-
  |-
   |扣
   |扣
   |
   |kòu
   |
   |bunch of document, thread lap
|
|拧了三扣 screwed three laps
  |-
  |-
   |把
   |把
   |
   |
   |
   |handful thing
|一把粮食 a hand of grains
|-
|抛
|pāo
|dirty thing
|
|
|-
|-
  |抛
  |
  |
|
|-
   |批
   |批
   |
   |
   |
   |large thing or large amount of things
|
|一批货物 a batch of goods
  |-
  |-
   |抔
   |抔
   |
   |póu
   |
   |grains
|
|一抔沙子 a handful of sand
  |-
  |-
   |抱
   |抱
   |
   |bào
   |
   |encirclement of two arms
|
|一抱柴火 an armful of firewood
  |-
  |-
   |拨
   |拨
   |
   |
   |
   |group
|
|一拨客人 a group of customers
  |-
  |-
   |担
   |担
   |
   |dàn
   |
   |thing beared by shoulders
|
|一担水 a bucket of water
  |-
  |-
   |拉
   |拉
   |
   |
   |
   |the divided
|
|半拉地 the half of divided land
  |-
  |-
   |抬
   |抬
   |
   |tái
   |
   |thing lifted by two people
|
|八抬大轿 eight lift sedan chair
  |-
  |-
   |拃
   |拃
   |
   |zhǎ
   |
   |length of spreaded thumb and middle finger tips
|
|
  |-
  |-

Revision as of 08:19, 23 April 2017

Chinese-measure-words.jpg

In Chinese, in order to specify a certain number of something, you combine a number with a measure word or classifier, followed by the noun.

You need to know the right measure word when asking a "how much/many?" question using "jǐ 几".

Below is a comprehensive list of Chinese measure words and how to use them.
Character Pinyin Usage or meaning Example
chuàn string of the same things 一串葡萄 a bunch of grapes
shì piece of garment
book 一册书 a book
qiū divided paddy field 一丘田 a paddy field
shèng chariot 千乘之国 country with a thousand chariots
xià time of the same action 点击鼠标两下 click the mouse two times
zhàng unit of length, 10/3 metre for now 万丈深渊 ten thousand zhang depth abyss
magnitude, 1/10000 丝米 1/10000 metre
liǎng unit of weight, 50 grams for now 半斤八两 half jin and eight liang (idiom, at the same level, derogatory)
outdated weight unit, 3 liǎng
měi mel scale
coffin, corpse, bracket clock, ... 一具棺材 a coffin
bāo pack 一包烟 a pack of cigarette
magnitude, 1/100;

unit of length, weight, acreage or

interest rate

厘米 1/100 metre
dāo time of cutting, 100 pieces of paper 切三刀 to cut 3 times, 一刀纸 100 pieces of paper
fēn divided part 二分之一 1/2
liè row of the same things 一列火车 a train
article 一则公告 an annoncement
decoction of medicinal ingredients 一剂药 a dose of medicine
set of thing, attitude 一副盔甲 a suit of armor, 一副笑脸 a smiling face
xiē some, somewhat 一些人 some people
turn 绕树三匝 around the tree three turns
duì team 一队士兵 a team of soldiers
outdated monetary unit, 100 wén
gāi stage
movie, novel, vehicle, phone, ... 一部电影 a movie
chū drama 一出戏 a show
universal measure word 一个人 a person, 一个场景 a scene
jiè person with occupation 一介书生 a scholar
lǐng 500 piecses of paper 一令纸 500 pieces of paper
fèn the integrated 一份牛排 a steak, 一份报纸 a newspaper
huǒ group of people 一伙强盗 a group of robbers
jiàn affair, garment 一件事 an affair
rèn term of office 一任总统 a president
bèi time of amount 两倍收入 twice income
dàn outdated unit of weight
mài dish 一卖杂烩 a dish of chowder
unit of area, 1/15 hectare for now 一亩地 1 mu of land
hit on body 一记耳光 a slap in the face
shuāng pair 一双翅膀 a pair of wings
cartridge 一发子弹 a bullet
dié stack 一叠盘子 a stack of plates
jié section 一节比赛 a section of game, 一节竹子 a section of bamboo
jīng thin stick 一茎草 a stick of grass
tíng stalk 一莛草 a stick of grass
zhòu ware bundled with grass 一荮盘子 a bundle of plates
luò pile
péng the dishevelled 一蓬凤尾竹 a Bambusa Multiplex
dōu plant 一蔸草 a stick of grass
xún urging guests to drink 酒过三巡 after three times of persuading to drink
guò number of times
jìn layer
tōng number of times 一通电话 a phone call
zào number of times of harvest
biàn number of times of action 看一遍 look at it one time
dào strip, door, meal, question, sight of intrest, ... 一道门 a door
zāo time of encounter 走一遭 go a time
duì pair 一对情侣 a pair of lovers
zūn idol, cannon, cup of wine 一尊大炮 a cannon
tóu animal 一头大象 an elephant
tào set 一套餐具 a set of tableware
gōng outdated unit of length, 1/5 chǐ
yǐn outdated unit of length, 10 zhàng
zhāng piece of paper, table, chair, mouth, bow, ... 一张明信片 a postcard
wān curved moon 一弯明月 a curved bright moon
kāi karat, folds of folio
zhuāng number of matters
chuáng bedding 一床被子 a quilt
zuò big and not movable thing 一座山 a mountain
tuǒ outddated, length of stretched arms
tiě mixed decotion 一帖中药 a dose of Chinese medicine
zhēn piece of picture 一帧油画 an oil painting
table of meal 一席酒 a table of wine
cháng outdated unit of length, 1 zhàng 4 chǐ
paintiing, cloth 一幅画 a painting
zhuàng building 一幢大楼 a large building
kǒu well, mouthful of food, ... 一口井 a well
sentence 一句话 a sentence
hào people 几十号人 tens of people
tái drama, aparatus, ... 一台电视 a television
zhī animal, wing, ... 一只老虎 a tiger
diào outdated monetery unit, 1000 coins
volume unit, 1/10 litre;

outdated untelsil for grains

míng people 一名商人 a merchant
dūn ton;

volume unit for ship, 2.83 cubic metres

huò time of changing water 洗了三和 washed three times
wèi kind of medicinal herb 五味药 five kinds of medicinal herb
xiǎng number of times of sound 双响 two times of sound
person with horse 千乘万骑 thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalry
mén cannon 一门大炮 a big cannon
jiān room 一间公寓 an apartment
què lyrics 一阕词 a line of verse
zōng matter 一宗诉讼 a lawsuit
sale of food 一客冰淇淋 an ice-cream
jiā family, shop or enterprise, ... 一家店铺 a shop
biāo outdated, troop
céng layer 一层楼 a floor
wěi fish 一尾鱼 a fish
jiè term of meeting or the group of students to graduate 一届会议 a meeting
shēng number of times of sound 一声叹息 a sigh
bunch 一扎钱 a bunch of cash
dozen 一打铅笔 a dozen pencils
kòu bunch of document, thread lap 拧了三扣 screwed three laps
handful thing 一把粮食 a hand of grains
pāo dirty thing
large thing or large amount of things 一批货物 a batch of goods
póu grains 一抔沙子 a handful of sand
bào encirclement of two arms 一抱柴火 an armful of firewood
group 一拨客人 a group of customers
dàn thing beared by shoulders 一担水 a bucket of water
the divided 半拉地 the half of divided land
tái thing lifted by two people 八抬大轿 eight lift sedan chair
zhǎ length of spreaded thumb and middle finger tips
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