Chinese Measure Words Explained & Full List (+PDF)

Chinese is a unique language that has its own system of measure words, also known as classifiers. These measure words are used to count or quantify different objects, and they must be used alongside the corresponding noun. Learning about Chinese measure words is an important aspect of mastering the language, as they are used frequently in daily conversation. Here’s a guide on Chinese measure words and how to use them correctly.

How to Use Chinese Measure Words?

Measure words are typically placed between the numerical quantity and the noun they are describing. For example, in English, we would say “two books,” whereas in Chinese, it would be “兩本書” (ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄅㄣˇ ㄕㄨ – liǎng běn shū), with “本” being the measure word for books.

The choice of measure word depends on the characteristics of the noun being counted, such as its shape, size, or category. For instance, the measure word “個” (ㄍㄜ˙ – ge) is a generic measure word that can be used for various objects and people. Another common measure word is “隻” (ㄓ – zhi), which is used specifically for animals. Similarly, “條” (ㄊㄧㄠˊ – tiáo) is used for long, narrow objects like rivers or trousers, while “瓶” (ㄆㄧㄥˊ – píng) is used for bottles.

One interesting aspect of measure words is that they can convey additional meanings or nuances to the noun they modify. For example, when the measure word “杯” (ㄅㄟ – bēi) is used with the noun “茶” (ㄔㄚˊ – chá) meaning “tea,” it implies that the tea is being served in a cup. Therefore, measure words not only serve a quantifying function but also contribute to the richness and specificity of the language.

個 (ㄍㄜˋ – gè) – The Most Common Chinese Measure Word

個 is the most common Chinese measure word and is frequently used in various contexts. It is a versatile measure word that can be paired with almost every Chinese noun.

However, relying solely on 個 for every situation can become a habit that should be avoided. While it’s acceptable to use 個 when you can’t recall the specific measure word for a particular noun, and you will still be understood, it’s essential to note that this may not always be grammatically correct. Therefore, it’s advisable to make a conscious effort to learn and use other appropriate measure words whenever possible.

Complete List of Chinese Measure Words

Here you’ll find a carefully curated list of the most common Chinese measure words. The list includes their traditional Chinese characters, Bopomofo and Pinyin pronunciation, as well as their respective usage. You can also download it as a PDF by clicking in the button below.

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Measure Word	Bopomofo	Pinyin	Usage
個	ㄍㄜˋ	gè	General objects, people
隻	ㄓ	zhī	Animals (cats, dogs, birds)
頭	ㄊㄡˊ	tóu	Large animals (horses, cows)
條	ㄊㄧㄠˊ	tiáo	Long, thin objects (snakes, rivers, pants)
件	ㄐㄧㄢˋ	jiàn	Clothing (shirts, jackets, dresses)
瓶	ㄆㄧㄥˊ	píng	Bottles, liquids
匹	ㄆㄧˇ	pǐ	Cloth, textiles
輛	ㄌㄧㄤˋ	liàng	Vehicles (cars, bikes, buses)
架	ㄐㄧㄚˋ	jià	Machines (planes, computers, cameras)
粒	ㄌㄧˋ	lì	Small, round objects (beads, pills, grains)
扇	ㄕㄢˋ	shàn	Fans, doors
道	ㄉㄠˋ	dào	Dishes, questions
雙	ㄕㄨㄤ	shuāng	Pairs (shoes, socks, gloves)
台	ㄊㄞˊ	tái	Electronic devices (TVs, phones, computers)
顆	ㄎㄜ	kē	Small, solid objects (seeds, teeth, gems)
把	ㄅㄚˇ	bǎ	Objects with handles (umbrellas, knives, chairs)
支	ㄓ	zhī	Long, thin objects (pen, pencil)
棵	ㄎㄜ	kē	Trees, plants
位	ㄨㄟˋ	wèi	People (for social positions or seating arrangements)
包	ㄅㄠ	bāo	Bags of …
名	ㄇㄧㄥˊ	míng	People (for names)
天	ㄊㄧㄢ	tiān	Days
次	ㄘˋ	cì	Times (for occurrences)
頓	ㄉㄨㄣˋ	dùn	Meals, courses
遍	ㄅㄧㄢˋ	biàn	Times (for actions, movements)
分	ㄈㄣ	fēn	Portions, segments
篇	ㄆㄧㄢ	piān	Articles, essays, papers
句	ㄐㄩˋ	jù	Sentences
首	ㄕㄡˇ	shǒu	Songs, poems, music
曲	ㄑㄩ	qǔ	Pieces of music
部	ㄅㄨˋ	bù	Movies, books, machines
場	ㄔㄤˊ	chǎng	Events, performances
種	ㄓㄨㄥˇ	zhǒng	Types, kinds
塊	ㄎㄨㄞˋ	kuài	Chunks, pieces, lumps (of food or material)
批	ㄆㄧ	pī	Batches, shipments, groups
箱	ㄒㄧㄤ	xiāng	Boxes, crates
份	ㄈㄣˋ	fèn	Portions, servings (of food)
套	ㄊㄠˋ	tào	Sets, collections (of items)
張	ㄓㄤ	zhāng	Flat objects (paper, pictures, maps)
頁	ㄧㄝˋ	yè	Pages
根	ㄍㄣ	gēn	Long, thin objects (rope, wire)
只	ㄓˇ	zhǐ	Gloves, socks
面	ㄇㄧㄢˋ	miàn	Flat objects (mirrors, flags, screens)
頸	ㄐㄧㄥˇ	jǐng	Giraffes, necks
朵	ㄉㄨㄛˇ	duǒ	Flowers, clouds, mushrooms
杯	ㄅㄟ	bēi	Cups, glasses of …
本	ㄅㄣˇ	bĕn	Books, magazines
筆	ㄅㄧˇ	bĭ	Money
打	ㄉㄚˇ	dá	A dozen of …
袋	ㄉㄞˋ	dài	Bags of …
家	ㄐㄧㄚ	jiā	Companies, restaurants, stores
間	ㄐㄧㄢ	jiān	Rooms
碗	ㄨㄢˇ	wǎn	Food and drink (bowl)
項	ㄒㄧㄤˋ	xiàng	Itemized things (clauses, tasks, research projects, etc.)
些	ㄒㄧㄝ	xiē	A small amount or small number (greater than one)
點	ㄉㄧㄢˇ	diǎn	A little; a bit; some
段	ㄉㄨㄢˋ	duàn	Stories, periods of time, lengths of thread, etc. (a section, segment or part)
片	ㄆㄧㄢˋ	piàn	Slices, tablets, tracts of land, areas of water; CDs, movies, DVDs; scenes, feelings, atmospheres, etc.
則	ㄗㄜˊ	zé	Written items
群	ㄑㄩㄣˊ	qún	People or animals (a group, herd, flock or pack)
所	ㄙㄨㄛˇ	suǒ	Houses, small buildings, institutions, etc. (schools, hospitals, etc.)
門	ㄇㄣˊ	mén	Subjects of study or fields of technical training
罐	ㄍㄨㄢˋ	guàn	Jars, pots or tins
桶	ㄊㄨㄥˇ	tǒng	Buckets, pails, cans, barrels, tubs, kegs
列	ㄌㄧㄝˋ	liè	A series or row of things
串	ㄔㄨㄢˋ	chuàn	A string of things (string, bunch, cluster)

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Chinese measure words are an important aspect of the language that must be mastered in order to communicate effectively. By understanding the different types of measure words and how to use them correctly, learners can enhance their Chinese language skills and communicate more accurately in everyday conversation.