Chinese Measure Words: A Practical Guide to 个, 本, 张, 杯 and More

In English, we say "three books" or "a cup of tea". In Chinese, you almost always place a measure word (量词, liàngcí) between the number and the noun: 三本书 (sān běn shū), 一杯茶 (yì bēi chá).

The formula

Number + measure word + noun:

• 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) — two people
• 三本书 (sān běn shū) — three books
• 一杯咖啡 (yì bēi kāfēi) — one cup of coffee

The all-purpose 个

个 (gè) is the most common measure word and works for many things, especially people and objects without a special measure word. If you forget the right one, 个 is usually understood, even if a native speaker might use another.

Measure words to learn first

• 本 (běn) — books, magazines, bound things: 一本书
• 张 (zhāng) — flat things: paper, tickets, tables, beds: 两张票
• 杯 (bēi) — cups or glasses: 一杯茶
• 瓶 (píng) — bottles: 三瓶水
• 只 (zhī) — small animals: 一只猫
• 条 (tiáo) — long, thin things: rivers, fish, trousers, roads: 一条鱼
• 件 (jiàn) — clothes (upper body), matters: 一件衬衫
• 辆 (liàng) — vehicles: 一辆车
• 位 (wèi) — people, politely: 三位老师
• 双 (shuāng) — pairs: 一双鞋
• 支 (zhī) — pens and sticks: 一支笔

Two: 二 or 两?

For counting things, use 两 (liǎng) before a measure word: 两个人, not 二个人. Use 二 (èr) in numbers and sequences: 二十 (twenty), 第二 (second).

With demonstratives

The measure word also appears with "this" and "that": 这本书 (zhè běn shū, this book), 那个人 (nà ge rén, that person).

Measure words for containers

You can use container words as measures: 一碗饭 (yì wǎn fàn, a bowl of rice), 一盘菜 (a plate of food), 一杯水. These work like "a cup of" in English.

No measure word for time units

Words like 天 (day), 年 (year) and 分钟 (minute) can be counted directly: 三天, 两年.

How to learn them

1. Learn the noun with its measure word as a unit.
2. Note that one measure word often applies to a group of similar things.
3. Start with 个 and add one new measure word a week.
4. Check any noun in a dictionary that lists its measure word.

Common mistake

Leaving out the measure word: "三书" sounds wrong. Always include it.

Look up nouns and their measure words with English Chinese Dictionary →