Search any object to find the correct Chinese classifier. Learn when to use 个, 只, 张, 本, and more. · Holidays
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💡 What are measure words? In Chinese, you can't say "a book" — you say 一本书 (yì běn shū), literally "one-volume book." Measure words (量词 liàngcí) classify nouns by shape, type, or function. There are over 150, but 20 cover 95% of daily use.
No measure words found. Try a different search like "person", "animal", or "flat object".
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个 (gè) is by far the most common. It's the default classifier for people, abstract concepts, and many everyday objects. When in doubt, use 个 — native speakers will understand you even if a more specific word exists.
Do I really need to learn all measure words?
No! Learn the top 20 and you'll cover 95% of daily conversation. Even native Chinese speakers sometimes default to 个 in casual speech. The most important ones beyond 个 are: 只 (animals/body parts), 张 (flat objects), 本 (bound books), 杯 (drinks), 辆 (vehicles), 件 (clothing/matters), 条 (long things).
How do measure words work grammatically?
The structure is: Number + Measure Word + Noun. For example: 三个人 (sān ge rén) = three people, 两杯茶 (liǎng bēi chá) = two cups of tea, 五辆车 (wǔ liàng chē) = five cars. This is similar to English "a cup of tea" or "a herd of cows," but Chinese requires it for every noun.
Why are there so many measure words?
Measure words are one of the oldest features of Chinese, dating back thousands of years. They originally described the shape or type of object — 张 for flat things that stretch (like paper or a bed), 条 for long thin things (like fish or roads), 颗 for small round things (like pearls or teeth). They add vivid imagery to the language.