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Measure words 13

The words between a number and a thing: which goes with what.

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Its words

The everyday ones 5

  1. 个 gè (the usual one: people, most things)
  2. 本 běn (for books)
  3. 张 zhāng (for flat things: paper, tickets, tables)
  4. 件 jiàn (for tops; for things to do)
  5. 条 tiáo (for long things: roads, fish, trousers)

A number never goes straight before a thing: a measure word comes between, 一个yī ge人rén一個yī ge人rén, 三sān本běn书shū三sān本běn書shū, 两liǎng张zhāng票piào兩liǎng張zhāng票piào. When in doubt, 个gè個gè does.

What holds it 4

  1. 杯 bēi a cup of; a glass of
  2. 瓶 píng a bottle of
  3. 碗 wǎn a bowl of
  4. 双 shuāng a pair of

Some say what holds it: 一yī杯bēi茶chá, a cup of tea; 两liǎng瓶píng水shuǐ兩liǎng瓶píng水shuǐ, two bottles of water; 一yī碗wǎn米饭mǐ fàn一yī碗wǎn米飯mǐ fàn, a bowl of rice.

People and machines 4

  1. 位 wèi (for people, politely)
  2. 口 kǒu (for the people of a family)
  3. 辆 liàng (for cars, bikes)
  4. 台 tái (for machines: computers, TVs)

位wèi is 个gè個gè for people, politely: 这位zhè wèi老师lǎo shī這位zhè wèi老師lǎo shī, this teacher. 口kǒu counts the people of a family: 我wǒ家jiā有yǒu三sān口kǒu人rén.