Language/Mandarin-chinese/Vocabulary/Measure-words

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".

A Chinese version of For Want of a Nail (from 简单的逻辑学 Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking, author: D.Q.McInerny, translator: 赵明燕, press: 中国人民大学出版社 China Renmin University Press, page: 48) is:

失了一颗铁钉，丢了一只马蹄铁；

丢了一只马蹄铁，折了一匹战马；

折了一匹战马，损了一位国王；

损了一位国王，输了一场战争；

输了一场战争，亡了一个帝国。

Below is a comprehensive list of Chinese measure words and how to use them.

Italic means uncommon.

Character	Pinyin	Usage or meaning	Example
把	bǎ	handful thing	一把粮食/一把糧食 a hand of grains
班	bān	group of people, scheduled transportation	一班公交车/一班公車 a course of bus
版	bǎn	outdated unit for wall
般	bān	kind	一般风景/一般風景 a kind of scene
瓣	bàn	segment of flower	一瓣花瓣 a segment of flower
包	bāo	pack	一包烟/一包煙 a pack of cigarette
抱	bào	encirclement of one's two arms	一抱柴火 an armful of firewood
杯	bēi	amount of a cup	一杯咖啡 a cup of coffee
倍	bèi	time of amount	两倍收入/兩倍收入 twice income
本	běn	book, plant	一本书/一本書 a book
笔/筆	bǐ	payment, painting or calligraphy	一笔交易/一筆交易 a deal
遍	biàn	number of times of action	看一遍 look at it one time
彪	biāo	outdated, troop
柄	bǐng	thing with a handle	一柄锤子/一柄錘子 a hammer
拨/撥	bō	group	一拨客人/一撥客人 a group of customers
步	bù	step, length of a step	一步棋 a move of chess
部	bù	movie, novel, vehicle, phone, ...	一部电影/一部電影 a movie
槽	cáo	groove	一槽窗户/一槽窗戶 a slot of window
册/冊	cè	book	一册书/一冊書 a book
层/層	céng	layer	一层楼/一層樓 a floor
常	cháng	outdated length unit of 1 zhàng 4 chǐ
场/場	chǎng	activity	一场比赛/一場比賽 a match, 一场地震/一場地震 an earthquake
	cháng	number of times	一场雨/一場雨 a rain
车/車	chē	volume of a car/cart	一车粮食/一車糧食 a car/cart of food
酲	chéng	wine urn	一酲酒 an urn of wine
重	chóng	layer, piece	三重门/三重門 three layers of door
筹/籌	chóu	people	三筹好汉/三籌好漢 three heroes
出/齣	chū	drama	一出戏/一齣戲 a show
串	chuàn	string of the same things	一串葡萄 a bunch of grapes
床	chuáng	bedding	一床被子 a quilt
锤/錘	chuí	outdated monetary unit
簇	cù	cluster	一簇鲜花/一簇鮮花 a cluster of flowers
撮	cuō	pinch, milliliter	一撮土 a pinch of soil
	zuǒ	tuft	一撮头发/一撮頭髮 a tuft of hair
搭	dā	piece
打	dá	dozen	一打铅笔/一打鉛筆 a dozen pencils
沓	dá	pile	一沓信纸/一沓信紙 a pile of letter paper
	tà	set	一沓杯子 a set of cups
袋	dài	amount of a sack	一袋米 a sack of rice
石	dàn	outdated weight unit, outdated volume unit
担/擔	dàn	thing beared by shoulders	一担水/一擔水 a bucket of water
儋	dàn	outdated weight unit
刀	dāo	time of cutting, 100 pieces of paper	切三刀 to cut 3 times, 一刀纸/一刀紙 100 pieces of paper
道	dào	strip, door, meal, question, sight of intrest, ...	一道门/一道門 a door
磴	dèng	stair	十磴台阶/十磴台階 ten steps of stair
滴	dī	drop	一滴水 a drop of water
点/點	diǎn	uncertain little amount	一点甜味/一點甜味 a little sweetness
吊	diào	outdated monetery unit of 1000 coins
叠/疊	dié	stack	一叠盘子/一疊盤子 a stack of plates
顶/頂	dǐng	thing with a top	一顶帽子/一頂帽子 a hat
锭/錠	dìng	ingot	一锭银子/一錠銀子 an ingot of silver
栋/棟	dòng	building	一栋楼/一棟樓 a building
蔸	dōu	plant	一蔸草 a stick of grass
堵	dǔ	wall	一堵墙/一堵牆 a wall
段	duàn	section	一段布 a cloth
堆	duī	heap	一堆垃圾 a heap of junk
队/隊	duì	team	一队士兵/一隊士兵 a team of soldiers
对/對	duì	pair	一对情侣/一對情侶 a pair of lovers
吨/噸	dūn	ton, volume unit for ship of 2.83 cubic metres
墩	dūn	cluster of plants	一千墩花生 a thousand peanuts
朵	duǒ	flower, cloud	一朵花 a flower
垛	duò	pile	一垛砖/一垛磚 a pile of brircks
发/發	fā	cartridge	一发子弹/一發子彈 a bullet
番	fān	number of times, kind, piece, fold	别有一番天地 being another kind of world, 翻一番 to double
畈	fàn	tract of field	一畈田 a tract
房	fáng	string of fruit, wife or concubine	一房侧室/一房側室 a side room (dweller)
分	fēn	divided part	二分之一 1/2
份	fèn	part	一份牛排 a steak, 一份报纸/一份報紙 a newspaper
缶	fǒu	outdated volume unit of 16 or 32 dǒu
幅	fú	paintiing, cloth	一幅画/一幅畫 a painting
副	fù	set of thing, attitude	一副盔甲 a suit of armor, 一副笑脸/一副笑臉 a smiling face
陔	gāi	stage
竿	gān	bamboo, pipe smoke	一竿烟/一竿煙 a pipe smoke
杆	gǎn	thing with a pole	一杆枪/一杆槍 a gun
合	gě	volume unit of 1/10 litre, outdated untelsil for grains
个/個	gè	universal measure word	一个人/一個人 a person, 一个场景/一個場景 a scene
根	gēn	thing of strip shape	一根电线/一根電線 a wire
弓	gōng	outdated length unit of 1/5 chǐ
股	gǔ	whiff, stream, band of people	一股烟/一股煙 a smoke
挂/掛	guà	string	一挂鞭炮/一掛鞭炮 a string of crackers
管	guǎn	slender cylindrical thing	一管铅笔/一管鉛筆 a pencil
桄	guàng	reel	一桄线/一桄線 a reel of string
过/過	guò	number of times
号/號	hào	people	几十号人/幾十號人 tens of people
合	hé	round of fight	战了五十合/戰了五十合 fought 50 rounds
	gě	volume unit of 1/10 litre, outdated untelsil for grains
泓	hóng	pure water	一泓清泉 a fountain
户/戶	hù	family	一户人家/一戶人家 a mafily
回	huí	number of times, chapter, moment	上一回 last time
伙/夥	huǒ	group of people	一伙强盗/一夥強盜 a group of robbers
和	huò	time of changing water	洗了三和 washed three times
级/級	jí	step, stage, head	一级人头/一級人頭 a head of man
记/記	jì	hit on body	一记耳光/一記耳光 a slap in the face
剂/劑	jì	decoction of medicinal ingredients	一剂药/一劑藥 a dose of medicine
家	jiā	family, shop or enterprise, ...	一家店铺/一家店鋪 a shop
架	jià	distance between posts, thing with posts	一架飞机/一架飛機 an aeroplane
肩	jiān	shoulder	一肩重担/一肩重擔 a shoulder burden
间/間	jiān	room	一间公寓/一間公寓 an apartment
煎	jiān	decoction	一煎药/一煎藥 a decoction
件	jiàn	affair, garment	一件事 an affair
角	jiǎo	monetary unit of 1/10 yuán, quarter, outdated measuring vessel	屋子一角 a corner of the house
绞/絞	jiǎo	skein	一绞毛线/一絞毛線 a woolen thread
觉/覺	jiào	sleep	一觉/一覺 a sleep
节/節	jié	section	一节比赛/一節比賽 a section of game, 一节竹子/一節竹子 a section of bamboo
截	jié	cut piece	一截木头/一截木頭 a section of wood
介	jiè	person with occupation (humble)	一介书生/一介書生 a scholar
届/屆	jiè	term of meeting or the group of students to graduate	一届会议/一屆會議 a meeting
斤	jīn	weight unit of 500 grams
进/進	jìn	layer
茎/莖	jīng	thin stick	一茎草/一莖草 a stick of grass
掬	jū	amount of hands holding	一掬土 soil held by hands
举/舉	jǔ	outdated weight unit of 3 liǎng
筥	jǔ	four bundles of seedlings
句	jù	sentence	一句话/一句話 a sentence
具	jù	coffin, corpse, bracket clock, ...	一具棺材 a coffin
犋	jù	animal power unit of number of animals pulling a tool
卷	juǎn	wad, amount of a roll	一卷钞票/一卷鈔票 a wad of banknotes
开/開	kāi	karat, folds of folio
棵	kē	plant	一棵树/一棵樹 a tree
颗/顆	kē	grain	一颗珍珠/一顆珍珠 a pearl
客	kè	sale of food	一客冰淇淋 an ice-cream
孔	kǒng	cave, bridge, ...	一孔油井 an oil well
口	kǒu	well, mouthful of food	一口井 a well
扣	kòu	bunch of document, thread lap	拧了三扣/擰了三扣 screwed three laps
块/塊	kuài	piece, lump, colloquial yuán	一块冰/一塊冰 an ice
捆	kǔn	bundle	一捆柴 a bundle of firewood
拉	lǎ	the divided	半拉地 the half of divided land
累	lěi	outdated weight unit
厘	lí	magnitude of 1/100, length unit, weight unit, acreage unit, interest rate unit	厘米 centimetre
粒	lì	round small thing	一粒药/一粒藥 a pill
联/聯	lián	pair	对联/對聯 couplet
两/兩	liǎng	weight unit, 50 grams for now	半斤八两/半斤八兩 half jīn and eight liǎng (at the same level, idiom, derogatory)
緉	liǎng	pair of shoes
辆/輛	liàng	vehicle	一辆车/一輛車 a car
料	liào	decoction, number of times	一料药/一料藥 a decoction
列	liè	row of the same things	一列火车/一列火車 a train
令	lǐng	500 pieces of paper	一令纸/一令紙 500 pieces of paper
领/領	lǐng	mat	一领席/一領席 a mat
绺/綹	liǔ	tuft	一绺丝线/一綹絲線 a thread
溜	liù	row	一溜房屋 a row of houses
炉/爐	lú	heat	一炉钢/一爐鋼 a heat of steel
轮/輪	lún	round thing, number of times	一轮明月/一輪明月 a round bright moon
罗/羅	luó	gross
落	luò	pile
摞	luò	stack	一摞砖/一摞磚 a pile of bricks
缕/縷	lǚ	strand	一缕头发/一縷頭髮 a strand of hair
锊/鋝	lüè	outdated weight unit, 6 liǎng
码/碼	mǎ	thing, pile, length unit yard	一码砖/一碼磚 a pile of bricks
卖/賣	mài	dish	一卖杂烩/一賣雜燴 a dish of chowder
枚	méi	piece	一枚邮票/一枚郵票 a stamp
眉	méi	crescent	一眉新月 a new moon
美	měi	mel scale
门/門	mén	cannon	一门大炮/一門大砲 a big cannon
面	miàn	flat thing	一面镜子/一面鏡子 a mirror
秒	miǎo	time unit second, degree unit second
缗/緡	mín	string of 1000 coins
名	míng	people	一名商人 a merchant
陌	mò	outdated monetary unit, 100 wén
亩/畝	mǔ	area unit, 1/15 hectare for now	一亩地/一畝地 1 mǔ of land
耦	ǒu	pair
排	pái	row	一排房子 a row of houses
派	pài	scenery, meteorology, sound, language, ...	一派胡言 nonsence
爿	pán	shop, factory, field, part of the integrated	一爿商店 a shop
盘/盤	pán	plate, round of chess	一盘石磨/一盤石磨 a plate of stone mill
泡	pāo	number of times of defecation
抛	pāo	number of times of defecation
脬	pāo	number of times of defecation
盆	pén	pot, outdated volume unit	一盆花 a pot of flower
蓬	péng	dishevelled thing	一蓬凤尾竹/一蓬鳳尾竹 a Bambusa multiplex
捧	pěng	double handful	一捧土 handful of soil
批	pī	large thing or large amount of things	一批货物/一批貨物 a batch of goods
篇	piān	piece of writing, sheet of paper	一篇文章 an article
片	piàn	tablet, stretch, scene	一片森林 a forest
票	piào	ticket	一票生意 a ticket of business
撇	piě	side-falling thing	两撇眉毛/兩撇眉毛 two eyebrows
榀	pǐn	roof truss
抔	póu	grains	一抔沙子 a handful of sand
铺/鋪	pū	mat or mattress	一铺褥子/一鋪褥子 a mattress
骑/騎	qí/jì	a person with a horse	千乘万骑/千乘萬騎 thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalry
起	qǐ	number of times, case, group, batch	一起诉讼/一起訴訟 a lawsuit
掐	qiā	amount of thumb and another finger tip
钱/錢	qián	outdated weight unit mace, weight unit of 1/100 kilogram
腔	qiāng	animal	一腔猪/一腔豬 a pig
顷/頃	qǐng	area unit of 2/3 hectares
丘/坵	qiū	divided paddy field	一丘田/一坵田 a paddy field
躯/軀	qū	body	一躯死尸/一軀死屍 a corpse
曲	qǔ	song	一曲歌 a song
圈	quān	loop	一圈铁丝/一圈鐵絲 a circle of wire
拳	quán	punch on body	打一拳 hit a punch
阕/闋	què	lyrics	一阕词/一闋詞 a line of verse
群	qún	group	一群天鹅/一群天鵝 a group of swans
任	rèn	term of office	一任总统/一任總統 a president
扇	shàn	door, window	一扇门/一扇門 a door
身	shēn	clothing on whole body	一身衣服 a set of clothing
声/聲	shēng	number of times of sound	一声叹息/一聲嘆息 a sigh
乘	shèng	chariot	千乘之国/千乘之國 country with a thousand chariots
事	shì	piece of garment
手	shǒu	skill	一手奇招 a trick
首	shǒu	poem, lyric, song	一首诗/一首詩 a poem
熟	shú	crop, bearing	一年三熟 three crops a year
束	shù	bundle	一束花 a bundle of flowers
双/雙	shuāng	pair	一双翅膀/一雙翅膀 a pair of wings
艘	sōu	ship	一艘船 a ship
梭	suō	shuttle, bullet clip	一梭子弹/一梭子彈 a clip of bullets
所	suǒ	building with usage, mountain, island	一所学校/一所學校 a school
索	suǒ	outdated length unit of 10 zhàng, length of a rope, coins on a string
丝/絲	sī	magnitude of 1/10000	丝米/絲米 1/10000 metre
塔	tǎ	piece
台(/臺)	tái	drama, aparatus, ...	一台电视/一台電視 a television
抬(/擡)	tái	thing lifted by two people	八抬大轿/八抬大轎 eight lift sedan chair
摊/攤	tān	pool	一滩水/一灘水 a pool of water
坛/壇	tán	relative to altar, earthen jug	一坛佛事/一壇佛事 a Buddhism ritual
堂	táng	lesson, set	一堂课/一堂課 a lesson
趟	tàng	step, suit in drama	一趟火车/一趟火車 a course of train
套	tào	set	一套餐具 a set of tableware
提	tí	objects being carried	一提酒 wine being carried
替	tì	nubmer of times
挑	tiāo	carrying pole with its load	一挑水 two barrels of water
条/條	tiáo	strip, fish	一条鱼/一條魚 a fish
贴/貼	tiē	plaster	一贴膏药/一貼膏藥 a plaster
帖	tiě	mixed decotion	一帖中药/一帖中藥 a dose of Chinese medicine
莛	tíng	stalk	一莛草 a stick of grass
梃	tǐng	pole
挺	tǐng	straight object	一挺机关枪/一挺機關槍 a machine gun
通	tōng	number of times, telegram, phone call	一通电话/一通電話 a phone call
统/統	tǒng	stele or timber, 1539 years
桶	tǒng	barrel	一桶水 a barrel of water
筒	tǒng	tube	一筒米 a barrel of rice
头/頭	tóu	animal	一头大象/一頭大象 an elephant
团/團	tuán	lump	一团毛线/一團毛線 a ball of wool
砣	tuó	block	一砣石头/一砣石頭 a stone
庹	tuǒ	outddated, length of stretched arms
弯/彎	wān	curved moon	一弯明月/一彎明月 a curved bright moon
湾/灣	wān	place on water
碗	wǎn	bowl, lantern	一碗水 a bowl of water
汪	wāng	pool	一汪水 a pool of water
围/圍	wéi	thing can be circled, length of a circle of two arms or fingers	一围玉带/一圍玉帶 a jade belt
尾	wěi	fish	一尾鱼/一尾魚 a fish
味	wèi	kind of medicinal herb	五味药/五味藥 five kinds of herb
文	wén	old coin	一文钱/一文錢 a penny
窝/窩	wō	brood	一窝小鸡/一窩小雞 a nest of chicks
握	wò	length of a fist, volume of a hand
武	wǔ	outdated length unit of 6 chǐ
席	xí	table of meal	一席酒 a table of wine
袭/襲	xí	suit, layer
下	xià	time of the same action	点击鼠标两下/點擊滑鼠兩下 click the mouse two times
线/線	xiàn	gleam	一线希望/一線希望 a glimmer of hope
箱	xiāng	volume of a box	一箱宝石/一箱寶石 a box of precious stones
响/響	xiǎng	number of times of sound	双响/雙響 two times of sound
项/項	xiàng	item	一项任务/一項任務 a task
些	xiē	some, somewhat	一些人 some people
歇	xiē	number of times, moment	歇一歇 take a break
巡	xún	urging guests to drink	酒过三巡/酒過三巡 after three times of persuading to drink
浔/潯	xún	depth unit fathom
眼	yǎn	well	一眼井 a well
样/樣	yàng	kind	多样/多樣 diverse
引	yǐn	outdated length unit, 10 zhàng
匝	zā	turn	绕树三匝/繞樹三匝 around the tree three turns
扎	zā	bunch	一扎钱/一扎錢 a bunch of cash
载/載	zài	capacity of a cart, 40 liǎng
遭	zāo	time of encounter	走一遭 go a time
造	zào	number of times of harvest
则/則	zé	article	一则公告/一則公告 an annoncement
拃	zhǎ	length of spreaded thumb and middle finger tips
盏/盞	zhǎn	lamp, lantern	一盏灯/一盞燈 a lamp
张/張	zhāng	piece of paper, table, chair, mouth, bow, ...	一张明信片/一張明信片 a postcard
章	zhāng	movement of a song, chapter, tree
丈	zhàng	length unit, 10/3 metre for now	万丈深渊/萬丈深淵 ten thousand zhàng depth abyss
帧/幀	zhēn	piece of picture	一帧油画/一幀油畫 an oil painting
支	zhī	rod, team, song, wattage of bulb	一支钢笔/一支鋼筆 a pen
只/隻	zhī	animal, wing, ...	一只老虎/一隻老虎 a tiger
枝	zhī	sprig, rod	一枝月桂 a laurel
纸/紙	zhǐ	sheet of paper	一纸空文/一紙空文 an invalid paper
秩	zhì	decade
盅	zhōng	handleless small cup	一盅酒 a little cup of wine
钟/锺	zhōng	handleless small cup, outdated volumn unit
荮/葤	zhòu	ware bundled with grass	一荮盘子/一荮盤子 a bundle of plates
株	zhū	plant	一株树/一株樹 a tree
铢/銖	zhū	outdated weight unit, outdated monetary unit, monetary unit baht
注	zhù	gambling capital, payment, rain	一注钱/一注錢 a note of money
炷	zhù	lit incense	一炷香 a lit incense
转/轉	zhuàn	rotation, number of times	每分钟300转/每分鐘300轉 300 rounds per minute
	zhuǎn	number of times about promotion
庄/莊	zhuāng	matter
桩/樁	zhuāng	matter	一桩案件/一樁案件 a case
幢	zhuàng/chuáng	building	一幢大楼/一幢大樓 a large building
锱/錙	zī	outdated weight unit
宗	zōng	matter	一宗诉讼/一宗訴訟 a lawsuit
综/綜	zōng	tuft	一综线/一綜線 a tuft of line
组/組	zǔ	set, bundle	一组发电机/一組發電機 a set of generator, 一组线/一組線 a bundle of line
尊	zūn	idol, cannon, cup of wine	一尊大炮/一尊大砲 a cannon
座	zuò	big and not movable thing	一座山 a mountain

Author

Grimpixel