{"id":562,"date":"2023-07-10T14:25:14","date_gmt":"2023-07-10T06:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.mandarininn.cn\/blog\/?p=562"},"modified":"2023-07-10T14:25:14","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T06:25:14","slug":"10-most-frequently-used-chinese-measure-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.mandarininn.cn\/blog\/?p=562","title":{"rendered":"10 Most Frequently-used Chinese Measure Words"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I was trying to speak English for the first time in primary school, I stumbled over the first sentence. I was trying to say: \u201cThere is a girl\u201d, but I stopped at \u201cThere is a\u2026\u2026\u201d. I didn\u2019t really understand what was going on in my mind at the time. After so many years of English language training, now, I know. As a Chinese English-language-learner, I was trying to find a measure word subconsciously. Few English nouns require measure words, and literally every Mandarin noun needs a measure word.<\/strong> The convention is that every Chinese noun should be matched up with a specific measure word, and this convention causes many Mandarin-learners to stumble through their learning the same way I did in primary school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rules for measure words in Mandarin are pretty simple. Follow along for my complete guide to the 10 most used Chinese measure words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMeasure word\u201d defined:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measure words have nothing to do with Math, they can instead, more accurately be called classifiers, or words that precede a noun and specify the type of noun. They suggest whether the noun is about an animal, an object, a person or a metaphysical concept. For this reason, specific nouns in Mandarin require specific measure words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"broken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One major rule for choosing a \u201cMeasure word\u201d:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re pairing up measure words and nouns, remember to picture the things you\u2019re saying and feel the words with your whole heart. Yes, I realize this is quite subjective. It gets easier once you\u2019ve learned a few – keep reading!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"broken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Check out 10 most frequently-used measure words!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. \u4e2a (g\u00e8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a Mandarin beginner and know nothing about measure words in Mandarin, this is the life-saver for you. Grammatically, it should be used for people or individual things. However, using this classifier for any noun is generally acceptable. You can basically match it with anything: \u4e00\u4e2a\u5973\u5b69(y\u012b g\u00e8 n\u01da h\u00e1i)(a girl), \u4e00\u4e2a\u540d\u5b57(y\u012b g\u00e8 m\u00edng z\u00ec)(a name), \u4e00\u4e2a\u623f\u5b50(y\u012b g\u00e8 f\u00e1ng z\u01d0)(a house), \u4e00\u4e2a\u6c34\u676f(y\u012b g\u00e8 shu\u01d0 b\u0113i)(a cup), etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \u53ea (zh\u012b)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This measure word is used for small animals or one of two pairs. Here are some examples: \u4e00\u53ea\u72d7(y\u012b zh\u012b g\u01d2u)(a dog), \u4e00\u53ea\u811a(y\u012b zh\u012b ji\u01ceo)(a foot), \u4e00\u53ea\u732b(y\u012b zh\u012b m\u0101o)(a cat).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. \u6761 (ti\u00e1o)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This classifier can be used for long, narrow and flexible things or animals. Here are some examples: \u4e00\u6761\u76ae\u5e26(y\u012b ti\u00e1o p\u00ed d\u00e0i)(a belt), \u4e00\u6761\u7ef3\u5b50(y\u012b ti\u00e1o sh\u00e9ng z\u01d0)(a rope), \u4e00\u6761\u86c7(y\u012b ti\u00e1o sh\u00e9)(a snake).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. \u53cc (shu\u0101ng)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPair\u201d is a typical English measure word. In Mandarin, we also have a measure word for \u201cpair\u201d, which is \u53cc (shu\u0101ng). Check these examples: \u4e00\u53cc\u978b(y\u012b shu\u0101ng xi\u00e9)(a pair of shoes), \u4e00\u53cc\u7b77\u5b50(y\u012b shu\u0101ng ku\u00e0i z\u01d0)(a pair of chopsticks).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Note: We don\u2019t use \u53cc (shu\u0101ng) for a pair of pants; instead, we use \u6761 (ti\u00e1o). One reason is that pants are long, narrow and skinny. More importantly, a pair of pants are not two separated things. \u53cc (shu\u0101ng) are usually used for a pair of two separated things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. \u5934 (t\u00f3u)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This character means \u201chead\u201d. When it is used as a measure word, it is usually used when referring to a herd of large animals (\u53ea zh\u012b in #2 is for normal to small sized animals). Here are some examples: \u4e00\u5934\u725b(y\u012b t\u00f3u ni\u00fa)(a cow), \u4e00\u5934\u8c61(y\u012b t\u00f3u xi\u00e0ng)(an elephant).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. \u4ef6 (ji\u00e0n)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This measure word is used in several ways: you can pair it up with clothing, gifts, things or problems. Some examples are: \u4e00\u4ef6\u793c\u7269(y\u012b ji\u00e0n l\u01d0 w\u00f9)(a gift), \u8fd9\u4ef6\u8863\u670d(zh\u00e8 ji\u00e0n y\u012b f\u00fa)(this shirt), \u4e00\u4ef6\u4e8b\u60c5(y\u012b ji\u00e0n sh\u00ec q\u00edng)(a thing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. \u6b21 (c\u00ec)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u6b21 (c\u00ec) means \u201ctime\u201d. You can match it up with opportunities and accidents, etc. Here are some examples: \u4e00\u6b21(y\u012b c\u00ec)(once), \u4e24\u6b21(li\u01ceng c\u00ec)(two times), \u4e09\u6b21(s\u0101n c\u00ec)(three times).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. \u70b9 \uff08di\u01cen\uff09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use this measure word with ideas and suggestions. It also means \u201ca bit\u201d in some contexts. These are some examples: \u5403\u4e00\u70b9(ch\u012b y\u012b di\u01cen)(eat a bit), \u4e00\u70b9\u60f3\u6cd5(y\u012b di\u01cen xi\u01ceng f\u01ce)(some ideas).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. \u4e9b (xi\u0113)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e9b (xi\u0113) means \u201csome\u201d in Mandarin. You can use it with any plural nouns. Check these examples: \u4e00\u4e9b\u6c34\u679c(y\u012b xi\u0113 shu\u01d0 gu\u01d2)(some fruits), \u4e00\u4e9b\u52a8\u7269(y\u012b xi\u0113 d\u00f2ng w\u00f9)(some animals), \u4e00\u4e9b\u623f\u5b50(y\u012b xi\u0113 f\u00e1ng z\u01d0)(some houses).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. \u4f4d (w\u00e8i)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This measure word is a polite way of referring to people. You can say: \u4e00\u4f4d\u5148\u751f(y\u012b w\u00e8i xi\u0101n sh\u0113ng)(a gentleman), or \u4e00\u4f4d\u5973\u58eb(y\u012b w\u00e8i n\u01da sh\u00ec)(a lady).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rules aside, here\u2019s a couple measure words in practice from a pet-lover, that\u2019s me!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cats: I usually say \u4e00\u6761\u732b(y\u012b ti\u00e1o m\u0101o)(a long string of cat), because cats are soft and long. This phrase also makes people imagine a surprisingly long cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\""A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“A long string of cat” (pic from internet)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs: When I describe a fierce and huge dog, I would say \u4e00\u5934\u72d7(y\u012b t\u00f3u g\u01d2u)(a \u201chead\u201d of dog) to stress the size of the dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*HSK warning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t use these expressions in you HSK exams (because they\u2019re grammatically incorrect!) All that to say, you can definitely play with measure words in your daily conversations and make some good jokes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My most important tip for using measure words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See, measure words are not about numbers! Measure words are heavily related to the shape and nature of the things we are describing. I\u2019ll leave you with one last lesson for using measure words: be creative and don\u2019t be confined to grammar rules!<\/strong> After all, language is about communication and for that we need to be creative. It is so much more than rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"broken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

About the blogger:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharon Wang is attending Reed college in Portland, OR. Shanghainese born and raised, she\u2019s returned home for the summer to blog, take over our Instagram and to learn about running a Mandarin school. She\u2019s passionate about math and marketing and is exploring ways to improve our marketing activities with math. If you see her around Mandarin Inn, ask where to eat nearby – she\u2019s a total foodie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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