Language/Mandarin-chinese/Vocabulary/Measure-words
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 把 | bǎ | handful thing | 一把粮食 a hand of grains |
| 班 | bān | ||
| 版 | bǎn | ||
| 般 | bān | ||
| 瓣 | bàn | ||
| 包 | bāo | pack | 一包烟 a pack of cigarette |
| 抱 | bào | encirclement of two arms | 一抱柴火 an armful of firewood |
| 杯 | bēi | ||
| 倍 | bèi | time of amount | 两倍收入 twice income |
| 本 | běn | ||
| 笔/筆 | bǐ | ||
| 遍 | biàn | number of times of action | 看一遍 look at it one time |
| 彪 | biāo | outdated, troop | |
| 柄 | bǐng | ||
| 拨/撥 | bō | group | 一拨客人 a group of customers |
| 步 | bù | ||
| 部 | bù | movie, novel, vehicle, phone, ... | 一部电影 a movie |
| 槽 | cáo | ||
| 册 | cè | book | 一册书 a book |
| 层/層 | céng | layer | 一层楼 a floor |
| 常 | cháng | outdated unit of length, 1 zhàng 4 chǐ | |
| 场/場 | chǎng | ||
| cháng | |||
| 车/車 | chē | ||
| 酲 | chéng | ||
| 重 | chóng | ||
| 筹/籌 | chóu | ||
| 出 | chū | drama | 一出戏 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 | ||
| 簇 | cù | ||
| 撮 | cuō | ||
| 搭 | dā | ||
| 打 | dá | dozen | 一打铅笔 a dozen pencils |
| 沓 | dá | ||
| 袋 | dài | ||
| 石 | dàn | ||
| 担 | dàn | thing beared by shoulders | 一担水 a bucket of water |
| 儋 | dàn | outdated unit of weight | |
| 刀 | dāo | time of cutting, 100 pieces of paper | 切三刀 to cut 3 times, 一刀纸 100 pieces of paper |
| 道 | dào | strip, door, meal, question, sight of intrest, ... | 一道门 a door |
| 磴 | dèng | ||
| 滴 | dī | ||
| 点/點 | diǎn | ||
| 吊 | diào | outdated monetery unit, 1000 coins | |
| 叠 | dié | stack | 一叠盘子 a stack of plates |
| 顶/頂 | dǐng | ||
| 锭/錠 | dìng | ||
| 栋/棟 | dòng | ||
| 蔸 | dōu | plant | 一蔸草 a stick of grass |
| 堵 | dǔ | ||
| 段 | duàn | ||
| 堆 | duī | ||
| 队/隊 | duì | team | 一队士兵 a team of soldiers |
| 对/對 | duì | pair | 一对情侣 a pair of lovers |
| 吨/噸 | dūn | ton;
volume unit for ship, 2.83 cubic metres |
|
| 墩 | dūn | ||
| 朵 | duǒ | ||
| 垛 | duò | ||
| 发/發 | fā | cartridge | 一发子弹 a bullet |
| 番 | fān | ||
| 畈 | fàn | ||
| 房 | fáng | ||
| 分 | fēn | divided part | 二分之一 1/2 |
| 份 | fèn | part | 一份牛排 a steak, 一份报纸 a newspaper |
| 缶 | fǒu | ||
| 幅 | fú | paintiing, cloth | 一幅画 a painting |
| 副 | fù | set of thing, attitude | 一副盔甲 a suit of armor, 一副笑脸 a smiling face |
| 陔 | gāi | stage | |
| 竿 | gān | ||
| 杆 | gǎn | ||
| 合 | gě | volume unit, 1/10 litre;
outdated untelsil for grains |
|
| 个/個 | gè | universal measure word | 一个人 a person, 一个场景 a scene |
| 根 | gēn | ||
| 弓 | gōng | outdated unit of length, 1/5 chǐ | |
| 股 | gǔ | ||
| 挂 | guà | ||
| 管 | guǎn | ||
| 桄 | guàng | ||
| 过/過 | guò | number of times | |
| 号/號 | hào | people | 几十号人 tens of people |
| 泓 | hóng | ||
| 户 | hù | ||
| 回 | huí | ||
| 伙/夥 | huǒ | group of people | 一伙强盗 a group of robbers |
| 和 | huò | time of changing water | 洗了三和 washed three times |
| 级/級 | jí | ||
| 记/記 | jì | hit on body | 一记耳光 a slap in the face |
| 剂/劑 | jì | decoction of medicinal ingredients | 一剂药 a dose of medicine |
| 家 | jiā | family, shop or enterprise, ... | 一家店铺 a shop |
| 架 | jià | ||
| 肩 | jiān | ||
| 间/間 | jiān | room | 一间公寓 an apartment |
| 煎 | jiān | ||
| 件 | jiàn | affair, garment | 一件事 an affair |
| 角 | jiǎo | ||
| 绞/絞 | jiǎo | ||
| 觉/覺 | jiào | ||
| 节/節 | jié | section | 一节比赛 a section of game, 一节竹子 a section of bamboo |
| 截 | jié | ||
| 介 | jiè | person with occupation | 一介书生 a scholar |
| 届 | jiè | term of meeting or the group of students to graduate | 一届会议 a meeting |
| 斤 | jīn | ||
| 进/進 | jìn | layer | |
| 茎 | jīng | thin stick | 一茎草 a stick of grass |
| 掬 | jū | ||
| 举 | jǔ | outdated weight unit, 3 liǎng | |
| 筥 | jǔ | ||
| 句 | jù | sentence | 一句话 a sentence |
| 具 | jù | coffin, corpse, bracket clock, ... | 一具棺材 a coffin |
| 犋 | jù | ||
| 卷 | juǎn | ||
| 开/開 | kāi | karat, folds of folio | |
| 棵 | kē | ||
| 颗/顆 | kē | ||
| 客 | kè | sale of food | 一客冰淇淋 an ice-cream |
| 孔 | kǒng | ||
| 口 | kǒu | well, mouthful of food, ... | 一口井 a well |
| 扣 | kòu | bunch of document, thread lap | 拧了三扣 screwed three laps |
| 块/塊 | kuài | ||
| 捆 | kǔn | ||
| 拉 | lǎ | the divided | 半拉地 the half of divided land |
| 累 | léi | ||
| 厘 | lí | magnitude, 1/100;
unit of length, weight, acreage or interest rate |
厘米 1/100 metre |
| 粒 | lì | ||
| 联/聯 | lián | ||
| 两/兩 | liǎng | unit of weight, 50 grams for now | 半斤八两 half jin and eight liang (idiom, at the same level, derogatory) |
| 緉 | liǎng | ||
| 辆/輛 | liàng | ||
| 料 | liào | ||
| 列 | liè | row of the same things | 一列火车 a train |
| 令 | lǐng | 500 piecses of paper | 一令纸 500 pieces of paper |
| 领/領 | lǐng | ||
| 绺/綹 | liǔ | ||
| 溜 | liù | ||
| 炉/爐 | lú | ||
| 轮/輪 | lún | ||
| 罗/羅 | luó | ||
| 落 | luò | pile | |
| 摞 | luò | ||
| 缕/縷 | lǚ | ||
| 锊/鋝 | lüè | ||
| 码/碼 | mǎ | ||
| 卖 | mài | dish | 一卖杂烩 a dish of chowder |
| 枚 | méi | ||
| 眉 | méi | ||
| 美 | měi | mel scale | |
| 门/門 | mén | cannon | 一门大炮 a big cannon |
| 面 | miàn | ||
| 秒 | miǎo | ||
| 缗/緡 | mín | ||
| 名 | míng | people | 一名商人 a merchant |
| 陌 | mò | outdated monetary unit, 100 wén | |
| 亩 | mǔ | unit of area, 1/15 hectare for now | 一亩地 1 mu of land |
| 耦 | ǒu | ||
| 排 | pái | ||
| 派 | pài | ||
| 爿 | pán | ||
| 盘 | pán | ||
| 泡 | pāo | ||
| 抛 | pāo | dirty thing | |
| 脬 | pāo | ||
| 盆 | pén | ||
| 蓬 | péng | the dishevelled | 一蓬凤尾竹 a Bambusa multiplex |
| 捧 | pěng | ||
| 批 | pī | large thing or large amount of things | 一批货物 a batch of goods |
| 篇 | piān | ||
| 片 | piàn | ||
| 票 | piào | ||
| 撇 | piě | ||
| 榀 | pǐn | ||
| 抔 | póu | grains | 一抔沙子 a handful of sand |
| 铺/鋪 | pū | ||
| 骑/騎 | qí/jì | person with horse | 千乘万骑 thousand chariots and ten thousand cavalry |
| 起 | qǐ | ||
| 掐 | qiā | ||
| 钱/錢 | qián | ||
| 腔 | qiāng | ||
| 顷/頃 | qǐng | ||
| 丘 | qiū | divided paddy field | 一丘田 a paddy field |
| 躯/軀 | qū | ||
| 曲 | qǔ | ||
| 圈 | quān | ||
| 拳 | quán | ||
| 阕/闋 | què | lyrics | 一阕词 a line of verse |
| 群 | qún | ||
| 任 | rèn | term of office | 一任总统 a president |
| 扇 | shàn | ||
| 身 | shēn | ||
| 声/聲 | shēng | number of times of sound | 一声叹息 a sigh |
| 乘 | shèng | chariot | 千乘之国 country with a thousand chariots |
| 事 | shì | piece of garment | |
| 手 | shǒu | ||
| 首 | shǒu | ||
| 熟 | shú | ||
| 束 | shù | ||
| 双/雙 | shuāng | pair | 一双翅膀 a pair of wings |
| 艘 | sōu | ||
| 梭 | suō | ||
| 所 | suǒ | ||
| 索 | suǒ | ||
| 丝/絲 | sī | magnitude, 1/10000 | 丝米 1/10000 metre |
| 塔 | tǎ | ||
| 台(/臺) | tái | drama, aparatus, ... | 一台电视 a television |
| 抬(/擡) | tái | thing lifted by two people | 八抬大轿 eight lift sedan chair |
| 摊/攤 | tān | ||
| 滩/灘 | tān | ||
| 坛/壇 | tán | ||
| 堂 | táng | ||
| 趟 | tàng | ||
| 套 | tào | set | 一套餐具 a set of tableware |
| 提 | tí | ||
| 替 | tì | ||
| 挑 | tiāo | ||
| 条/條 | tiáo | ||
| 贴/貼 | tiē | ||
| 帖 | tiě | mixed decotion | 一帖中药 a dose of Chinese medicine |
| 莛 | tíng | stalk | 一莛草 a stick of grass |
| 梃 | tǐng | ||
| 挺 | tǐng | ||
| 通 | tōng | number of times, telegram, phone call | 一通电话 a phone call |
| 统/統 | tǒng | ||
| 桶 | tǒng | ||
| 筒 | tǒng | ||
| 头/頭 | tóu | animal | 一头大象 an elephant |
| 团/團 | tuán | ||
| 砣 | tuó | ||
| 庹 | tuǒ | outddated, length of stretched arms | |
| 弯/彎 | wān | curved moon | 一弯明月 a curved bright moon |
| 湾/灣 | wān | ||
| 碗 | wǎn | ||
| 汪 | wāng | ||
| 围 | wéi | ||
| 尾 | wěi | fish | 一尾鱼 a fish |
| 味 | wèi | kind of medicinal herb | 五味药 five kinds of herb |
| 文 | wén | ||
| 窝/窩 | wō | ||
| 握 | wò | ||
| 武 | wǔ | ||
| 席 | xí | table of meal | 一席酒 a table of wine |
| 袭/襲 | xí | ||
| 下 | xià | time of the same action | 点击鼠标两下 click the mouse two times |
| 线/線 | xiàn | ||
| 箱 | xiāng | ||
| 响/響 | xiǎng | number of times of sound | 双响 two times of sound |
| 项/項 | xiàng | ||
| 些 | xiē | some, somewhat | 一些人 some people |
| 歇 | xiē | ||
| 巡 | xún | urging guests to drink | 酒过三巡 after three times of persuading to drink |
| 浔/潯 | xún | ||
| 眼 | yǎn | ||
| 样/樣 | yàng | ||
| 引 | yǐn | outdated unit of length, 10 zhàng | |
| 匝 | zā | turn | 绕树三匝 around the tree three turns |
| 扎 | zā | bunch | 一扎钱 a bunch of cash |
| 载/載 | zài | ||
| 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 an annoncement |
| 拃 | zhǎ | length of spreaded thumb and middle finger tips | |
| 盏/盞 | zhǎn | ||
| 张/張 | zhāng | piece of paper, table, chair, mouth, bow, ... | 一张明信片 a postcard |
| 章 | zhāng | ||
| 丈 | zhàng | unit of length, 10/3 metre for now | 万丈深渊 ten thousand zhang depth abyss |
| 帧/幀 | zhēn | piece of picture | 一帧油画 an oil painting |
| 支 | zhī | ||
| 只/隻 | zhī | animal, wing, ... | 一只老虎 a tiger |
| 枝 | zhī | ||
| 纸/紙 | zhǐ | ||
| 秩 | zhì | ||
| 钟/锺 | zhōng | ||
| 荮/葤 | zhòu | ware bundled with grass | 一荮盘子 a bundle of plates |
| 株 | zhū | ||
| 铢/銖 | zhū | ||
| 注 | zhù | ||
| 炷 | zhù | ||
| 转/轉 | zhuàn | ||
| zhuǎn | |||
| 庄/莊 | zhuāng | number of matters | |
| 桩/樁 | zhuāng | ||
| 幢 | zhuàng/chuáng | building | 一幢大楼 a large building |
| 锱/錙 | zī | ||
| 宗 | zōng | matter | 一宗诉讼 a lawsuit |
| 综/綜 | zōng | ||
| 组/組 | zǔ | ||
| 尊 | zūn | idol, cannon, cup of wine | 一尊大炮 a cannon |
| 座 | zuò | big and not movable thing | 一座山 a mountain |
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.