MOST COMMON

CHINESE MEASURE WORDS

PEOPLE AND ANIMALS

个
Chinese Usage Example

gè Person, general measure word 四个⼈ sì gè rén

位
Four people
More respectful than 个, and ⼀位⽼师 yī wèi lǎoshī
wèi

名
used only for people A teacher

míng
People with status, typically ⼀名医⽣ yī míng yīshēng

⼝
used for a person’s occupation A doctor
Family members, households ⼀家四⼝⼈ yī jiā sì kǒu
kǒu

只
(rarely used in speech) rén. A family of four

zhī Most animals including birds ⼀只⼤象 yī zhī dà xiàng

头
An elephant

tóu
Bigger animals, normally 两头猪 liǎng tóu zhū

匹
livestock Two pigs

pı̌ Horses, mules etc. ⼀匹⻢ yī pı̌ mǎ

条
A horse

tiáo
Long, thin animals like fish, ⼀条蛇 yì tiáo shé
snakes, dragons etc. A snake
BODY PARTS

张
Chinese Usage Example

zhāng Measure word for face, mouth

⼀张脸 yì zhāng liǎn
根
A face

gēn
Thin, slender body parts e.g. ⼀根⼿指 yì gēn shǒu zhı̌
只
finger, a hair A finger

zhī
For body parts, this means
“one of a pair”
⼀只⽿朵 yì zhī ěr duo
条
An ear

tiáo Long, narrow body parts ⼀条腿 yì tiáo tuı̌

A leg
NOTE: some words are in multiple sections

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双 shuāng A pair of body parts
⼀双眼睛 yì shuāng
颗
yǎnjing. A pair of eyes

kē
Small, normally round body
parts
⼀颗⼼ yì kē xīn
A heart
FOOD AND DRINK

碗
Chinese Usage Example

wǎn For food in bowl ⼀碗⾯ yì wǎn miàn

份
A bowl of noodles

fèn
For a meal of a fixed menu in a
restaurant
⼀份⽶饭 yí fèn mı̌ fàn
An order of rice

串 chuàn A skewer
⼀串⾁ yī chuàn ròu
A skewer of meat

盘 pán
A dish, and can be used for a
plate of food
⼀盘饺⼦ yì pán jiǎozi
锅
A plate of dumplings

guō Pot, pan, boiler ⼀锅汤 yì guō tāng

A pot of soup

笼 Bamboo or wooden utensil

lóng for steaming food
⼀笼包⼦ yì lóng bāozi
An order of baozi

碟 dié Small plate ⼀碟醋 yì dié cù

A dish of vinegar

顿 dùn A meal ⼀顿早餐 yí dùn zǎocān

A breakfast

⽚ piàn Thin slice of food

⼀⽚⾯包 yí piàn miànbāo
A slice of bread

块 kuài
A portion, piece or thick slice
of food
⼀块蛋糕 yí kuài dàngāo
A piece of cake

包 bāo Pack, packet or bag ⼀包薯⽚ yī bāo shǔ piàn.

盒
A bag of crisps

hé Box or carton ⼀盒巧克⼒ yì hé qiǎokèlì

A box of chocolate

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瓶 píng Bottles 两瓶啤酒 liǎng píng píjiǔ
杯
Two bottles of beer

bēi Glasses or cups ⼀杯茶 yī bēi chá

A cup of tea

听 tīng A can ⼀听可乐 yì tīng kělè

A can of cola

罐
PLANTS
guàn Jar, pot, tin
⼀罐蜂蜜 yí guàn fēngmì
A jar of honey

棵
Chinese Usage Example

kē
For trees, grass etc. (also ⼀棵树 yī kē shù
株
includes cabbages) A tree

zhū
Smaller trees/plants, flower 三株花 sān zhū huā
朵
still in the ground Three flowers

duǒ
For flowers, clouds or things
similar to them
⼀朵玫瑰 yī duǒ méiguī
A stem of rose
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

根
Chinese Usage Example
Long slender objects; thin,
gēn flexible strands
⼀根胡萝⼘ yì gēn húluóbo
A carrot

颗 kē
Small objects that are usually
roundish in shape
⼀颗樱桃 yì kē yīng táo
A cherry

粒 lì
Grain; classifier for small
round things
六粒⽶ liù lì mı̌
头
Six grains of rice

tóu Bulb ⼀头洋葱 yì tóu yángcōng

瓣
An onion

bàn
For segment, section, clove
⼉ ⼀瓣⼉蒜 yí bànr suàn
把
(normally is added) A clove of garlic

bǎ
For a quantity of things that
can be held in one hand
⼀把⾹蕉 yì bǎ xiāngjiāo
A bunch of bananas

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VEHICLES

辆
Chinese Usage Example

liàng For most wheeled vehicles ⼀辆汽⻋ yí liàng qìchē

艘
A car

sōu For ships and vessels ⼀艘船 yì sōu chuán

A ship

列 liè
列
For trains etc. ( is used for a
series or row of things)
⼀列⽕⻋ yí liè huǒchē
A train

架 jià
For airplanes (also used for
pianos and machines)
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
⼀架⻜机 yí jià fēijī
An aeroplane

座
Chinese Usage Example

zuò
For big buildings, mountains, ⼀座桥 yí zuò qiáo
栋
bridges A bridge

dòng For buildings

⼀栋房⼦ yí dòng fángzi
间
A house

jiān Room ⼀间教室 yì jiān jiàoshì

所
A classroom

suǒ
For buildings whose ⼀所医院 yì suǒ yīyuàn
家
purposes are explicitly stated A hospital

jiā For families or businesses ⼀家宾馆 yì jiā bīnguǎn

⾯
A hotel

miàn Wall
⼀⾯墙 yī miàn qiáng
A wall
HOUSEHOLD AND EVERYDAY ITEMS

张
Chinese Usage Example

zhāng Rectangular or flat objects

⼀张照⽚ yī zhāng
本
zhàopiàn. A photo

běn
For books, magazines,
notebooks etc.
三本书 sān běn shū
Three books

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件 jiàn
For some items of clothing, ⼀件礼物 yī jiàn lı̌ wù

把
presents or problems/matters. A present

bǎ
Objects that can be grasped ⼀把勺⼦ yì bǎ sháozi
床
or objects with a handle A spoon

chuáng
床
For bedsheets ( chuáng is ⼀床棉被 yī chuáng
also the word for bed) miánbèi. A quilt

条 tiáo Towel, tablecloth ⼀条毯⼦ yī tiáo tǎnzi

A towel

台 tái
Heavy electronic objects (TVs,
computers, etc.)
⼀台电视 yì tái diànshì
A television

部 bù
For small devices, films, ⼀部⼿机 yí bù shǒujī
盏
machines, dictionaries, etc. A mobile phone

zhǎn For lamps ⼀盏灯 yī zhǎn dēng

扇
A lamp

shàn Doors or windows etc. ⼀扇⻔ yí shàn mén

A door
CLOTHING AND JEWELLERY

件
Chinese Usage Example

jiàn Article of clothing ⼀件衬衫 yī jiàn

条
chènshān. A shirt

tiáo
A long article of clothing or ⼀条领带 yī tiáo lı̌ ngdài
套
jewellery A necktie

tào A set/suit of clothing ⼀套西装 yī tào

双
xīzhuāng. A suit

shuāng A pair
⼀双袜⼦ yī shuāng wàzi
只
A pair of socks

zhī One of a pair ⼀只⼿套 yī zhī shǒutào

顶
A glove

dı̌ ng
For things that have a top e.g.
hats
⼀顶帽⼦ yī dı̌ ng màozi
A hat

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枚 méi
Small objects e.g. rings, ⼀枚戒指 yī méi jièzhı̌
对
brooches A ring

duì For certain pairs of objects ⼀对⽿环 yī duì ěrhuán

A pair of earrings
TIME

秒
Chinese Usage Example

miǎo Second ⼀秒钟 yī miǎo zhōng

分
One second

fēn Minute, fraction ⼀分钟 yī fēn zhōng

天
One minute

tiān Day ⼀天 yī tiān

⽇
One day

rì Day (used in written form) ⼀⽇ yī rì

周
One day

zhōu Week (used in written form) ⼀周 yī zhōu

年
One week

nián Year ⼀年 yī nián

代
One year

dài Era, generation 上⼀代 shàng yī dài

次
The previous generation

cì A time ⼀次 yī cì
Once
UNITS OF MEASURE

⽄
Chinese Usage Example

jīn
Chinese unit of weight
equivalent to 0.5 kg
⼋⽄苹果 bā jīn píngguǒ
吨
Four kilos of apples

dūn Ton 两吨 liǎng dūn

磅
Two tons

bàng Pound (lb)

⼀磅糖 yī bàng táng
A pound of sugar

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⼨ cùn
⼨
One inch (different to western 12 shí èr cùn

尺
inch – 3.333cm) Twelve inches

chı̌
One foot (different to
western foot – 1/3 m)
六尺⾼ liù chı̌ gāo
⾥
Six feet tall

lı̌
Chinese unit of length 六公⾥ liù gōng lı̌
块
equivalent to 0.5 km Six kilometres
Colloquial measure word for
元 ⼀百块钱 yībǎi kuài
qián。 100 yuan
kuài

⽑
1 yuán

máo
Colloquial measure word for
1 ⻆ jiǎo (1/10 yuan)
四⽑钱 sì máo qián
笔
Four jiao

bı̌
An unspecified sum of ⼀笔钱 yī bı̌ qián
升
money A sum of money

shēng 1 litre
三升啤酒 sān shēng píjiǔ
⽃
Three litres of beer

dǒu 10 litres ⼀⽃⽔ yī dǒu shuı̌

度
Ten litres of water

dù
Degree, level (e.g. angle, 四⼗度 sìshí dù
temperature, etc.) Forty degrees
PAIRS, COLLECTIONS AND GROUPS

双
Chinese Usage Example

shuāng Pair of identical objects

⼀双筷⼦ yī shuāng kuàizi
副
A pair of chopsticks

fù
Pair of complementary
objects
⼀副⼑叉 yī fù dāo chā
对
A knife and fork

duì For couples e.g. man and wife ⼀对夫妻 yī duì fūqī
些
A man and wife

xiē A few ⼀些糖果 yī xiē tángguǒ

种
A few sweets

zhǒng A kind
⼀种动物 yī zhǒng dòngwù
A type of animal

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群 qún Group, flock ⼀群⽺ yī qún yáng
众
A flock of sheep

zhòng A crowd
⼀众⼈ yī zhòng rén
组
A crowd of people

zǔ Set, series ⼀组邮票 yī zǔ yóupiào

帮
A set of stamps

bāng A group or a band

⼀帮贼 yī bāng zéi
A group of thieves

班 bān A class ⼀班学⽣ yī bān xuéshēng

A class of students

排 pái A row, queue ⼀排电杆 yī pái diàn gān

队
A row of electrical posts

duì A team, battalion ⼀队军⼈ yī duì jūnrén

打
A battalion of soldiers

dá A dozen ⼀打鸡蛋 yī dá jīdàn

叠
A dozen eggs

dié A stack ⼀叠钱 yī dié qián

A stack of money

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