Languages
Chinese Measure Words for Beginners: 15 to Learn First
Chinese measure words confuse almost every beginner, and memorizing hundreds of them is not realistic. Learn these 15 first and you can handle most everyday sentences with confidence.
In English we say "a cup of tea" or "a piece of paper," but we can also say "a book" with no extra word. In Chinese, a number almost always needs a measure word (量词, liàngcí) before the noun. So "three books" is 三本书, not 三书.
The good news is that a small set covers a huge share of daily speech. The hard part is hearing them in context rather than memorizing lists.
This is where Corodomo helps. You paste a YouTube link or upload a video, and it generates bilingual subtitles. You can then look up any measure word with detailed AI explanations and save the whole sentence as a flashcard for spaced review.
Practice with a real video on Corodomo
Listening · Shadowing · Dictation · Vocabulary
Open 小猪佩奇 | 第四季 第25集 「 大象埃德蒙的生日 」 粉红猪小妹 | 佩佩猪 |Peppa Pig Chinese |动画 (about 5 min): listen sentence by sentence with bilingual subtitles, shadow each line with AI pronunciation feedback, then test yourself with dictation.
- What measure words are and why they matter
- The big three: 个, 本, 张
- People and animals: 位, 只, 条
- Objects by shape and use: 件, 把, 杯, 瓶
- Everyday extras: 辆, 口, 次, 双
- How to practice so they stick
- FAQ
- Conclusion
What measure words are and why they matter
The basic pattern is: number + measure word + noun. For "this" and "that" you also need one: 这个人 (zhège rén, this person).
Many measure words hint at the noun's shape or category. Flat things use 张, long things use 条. Once you see the logic, guessing gets easier.
Native speakers will still understand you if you pick the wrong one. But the right one makes you sound natural, and it helps your listening too, because the measure word often predicts the noun that follows.
- Always learn the measure word together with the noun, as one chunk.
- Remember the pattern: number + measure word + noun.
- When unsure, use 个 and move on. You can refine later.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 两个苹果 | liǎng ge píngguǒ | two apples |
| 三本书 | sān běn shū | three books |
| 这个人 | zhège rén | this person |
The big three: 个, 本, 张
个 (ge) is the default measure word. It works for people, fruit, ideas, and many objects. It is neutral tone in speech. If you only learned one, this would be it.
本 (běn) is for bound things: books, notebooks, magazines, dictionaries. 张 (zhāng) is for flat things: paper, tickets, tables, beds, photos.
Notice 张 covers surprising items such as tables and beds. Think of it as "things with a flat surface."
- Use 个 for anything you are unsure about.
- Think "pages" for 本 and "flat surface" for 张.
- Make three sample sentences for each, using your own life.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一个学生 | yí ge xuésheng | one student |
| 一本词典 | yì běn cídiǎn | a dictionary |
| 两张票 | liǎng zhāng piào | two tickets |
People and animals: 位, 只, 条
位 (wèi) is the polite form for people. You hear it in restaurants: 几位? (jǐ wèi?, how many people?). Use it for guests, teachers, and customers.
只 (zhī) is for most small animals, such as cats, birds, and dogs. It is also used for one of a pair, like one hand or one shoe. 条 (tiáo) is for long, thin things: fish, rivers, roads, pants, snakes, and also dogs in many contexts.
Do not worry about edge cases yet. Start with the typical examples below and build from there.
- Use 位 when you want to be respectful.
- Picture "long and flexible" for 条.
- Learn 一只猫 and 一条鱼 as fixed phrases.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 三位老师 | sān wèi lǎoshī | three teachers (polite) |
| 一只猫 | yì zhī māo | a cat |
| 一条河 | yì tiáo hé | a river |
Objects by shape and use: 件, 把, 杯, 瓶
件 (jiàn) is for clothing on the upper body, and also for matters and luggage. 把 (bǎ) is for things with a handle or grip: umbrellas, chairs, knives, keys.
杯 (bēi) and 瓶 (píng) are container words, like English "cup" and "bottle." They literally mean the container, so they are easy to remember.
Container words are the friendliest group for beginners. They work like English, so use them early when ordering food and drinks.
- Order a drink aloud: 我要一杯咖啡.
- Link 把 to "something you can hold."
- Use 件 for shirts and coats, not for pants (those take 条).
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一件衬衫 | yí jiàn chènshān | a shirt |
| 一把伞 | yì bǎ sǎn | an umbrella |
| 一杯茶 | yì bēi chá | a cup of tea |
| 两瓶水 | liǎng píng shuǐ | two bottles of water |
Everyday extras: 辆, 口, 次, 双
辆 (liàng) counts vehicles: cars, bikes, buses. 双 (shuāng) counts pairs: shoes, chopsticks, socks. 口 (kǒu) counts family members and also mouthfuls.
次 (cì) is different. It counts how many times an action happens, so it goes after the verb: 我去过两次 (I have gone twice). That makes it a verbal measure word.
That brings the list to 15: 个, 本, 张, 位, 只, 条, 件, 把, 杯, 瓶, 辆, 双, 口, 次, and 些 (xiē, "some"). Treat 些 as the plural-like one: 这些书 means "these books."
- Put 次 after the verb, not before the noun.
- Use 一双 only for true pairs.
- Use 些 when the number is vague or plural.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一辆车 | yí liàng chē | a car |
| 一双鞋 | yì shuāng xié | a pair of shoes |
| 我家有四口人 | wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén | My family has four people |
| 去过两次 | qù guo liǎng cì | have been twice |
How to practice so they stick
Lists alone do not work well. Your brain needs to hear measure words many times in real speech. Short videos are ideal, because each clip repeats everyday phrases.
With learn with videos, you can watch a clip with bilingual subtitles and spot each measure word. Then use shadowing practice to repeat the sentence and get tone feedback from AI scoring. Finally, review saved phrases through vocabulary flashcards.
Corodomo also offers dictation with pinyin typing, which trains you to catch the measure word by ear. Note that the Free plan has limits on videos and AI use, while full AI features are in Plus.
- Pick one short video and write down every measure word you hear.
- Save whole phrases, such as 一杯咖啡, not single characters.
- Review five new phrases a day for one week.
- Describe your room aloud using at least five measure words.
Related reading:
- Business Keigo for Beginners: Master Japanese Honorifics Easily
- Learn Japanese Online with NHK Easy News: Beginner Guide
- Learn Japanese with Anime: A Practical Guide for Beginners
FAQ
Do I always need a measure word in Chinese?
Almost always, when a number or 这/那 comes before a noun. Exceptions exist, such as some time words like 一天 (one day), but the rule works for beginners.
Can I just use 个 for everything?
You will be understood most of the time, and it is a fine fallback. But for natural speech, learn the common specific ones like 本, 杯, and 张.
How many measure words do I really need?
Beginners can get far with about 15. Fluent speakers use many more, but these cover most daily situations. Add new ones as you meet them.
Why is it 两 and not 二 before a measure word?
For counting quantities, 两 is the usual choice: 两个人 (two people). 二 is used for counting numbers, dates, and ordinals.
Are measure words affected by tones?
Yes, each has its own tone, and 一 changes tone before them, such as yí ge and yì běn. Shadowing helps you absorb these shifts naturally.
Conclusion
- Use the pattern number + measure word + noun, and learn each noun with its measure word.
- Start with 15 essentials, grouped by shape, people, containers, and actions, with 个 as your safe fallback.
- Practice in context through videos, shadowing, and spaced flashcards rather than memorizing bare lists.
Keep practicing on Corodomo: Learn Chinese with videos · Practice video: 小猪佩奇 | 第四季 第25集 「 大象埃德蒙的生日 」 粉红猪小妹 | 佩佩猪 |Peppa Pig Chinese |动画