Back
Beginner

Measure Words

Classifiers between number and noun

Number + measure word + noun

You can't count a noun directly; a measure word goes between.

📊 Common measure words
MW Used for Example
个 ge general 一个人
本 běn books 一本书
张 zhāng flat objects 一张纸
只 zhī animals 一只猫
杯 bēi cups of 一杯水
💬 Examples
一个人
yí ge rén
one person
📝 个 is the general measure word
三本书
sān běn shū
three books
📝 本 for books
Each noun has its measure word

Different nouns require different classifiers.

💬 Examples
一张纸
yì zhāng zhǐ
one sheet of paper
📝 张 for flat things
两只猫
liǎng zhī māo
two cats
📝 只 for animals (and 两, not 二)
二 vs 两

Use 两 (not 二) before a measure word.

💬 Examples
两个
liǎng ge
two (of something)
📝 两 before measure words
二号
èr hào
number two
📝 二 for ordinals and bare numbers