Chinese Measure Words Summary Table

The following table covers the most common Chinese measure words (classifiers). For detailed
explanations regarding measure words, please refer to the following link:
http://www.yoyochinese.com/common_Chinese_mistakes_made_by_English_speakers_03.pdf

Measure words used in a similar way in English

For example:

Measure
Used with Examples
Word
包 One pack of
Pack yì bāo yān 一包烟
bāo cigarettes
杯
Cup of, glass of One cup of coffee yì bēi kā fēi 一杯咖啡
bēi
盒 A box of
Box of yì hé qiǎo kè lì 一盒巧克力
hé chocolate
块/塊 一块蛋糕
Piece of (cake, soap, land) One piece of cake yí kuài dàn ɡāo
kuài 一塊蛋糕
瓶
Bottle of something One beer yì pínɡ pí jiǔ 一瓶啤酒
pínɡ
群 Crowd, group, herd, flock, pack of
One pack of herd yì qún yánɡ 一群羊
qún (cows, bees, sheep)
双/雙 一双鞋
Pair of (shoes, chopsticks, gloves) One pair of shoes yì shuānɡ xié
shuānɡ 一雙鞋
套 One set of
Set of (furniture, stamps) yí tào jiā jù 一套家具
tào furniture
种/種 一种水果
Types of, kind of One type of fruit yì zhǒnɡ shuǐ ɡuǒ
zhǒnɡ 一種水果

Measure words sometimes used or not required in English

For example:

Measure
Used with Examples
Word
Objects with a handle such as
把
Knife, umbrella, toothbrush and One knife yì bǎ dāo 一把刀
bǎ
chair

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 Chinese Measure Words Summary Table

本 Things with volume, such as books, 一本书

One book yì běn shū
běn magazines 一本書
串 Items joined together, e.g. by a One bunch of
yí chuàn pú táo 一串葡萄
chuàn string grapes
顶/頂 一顶帽子
Hat One hat yì dǐnɡ mào zi
dǐnɡ 一頂帽子
份 一份报纸
Newspaper One newspaper yí fèn bào zhǐ
fèn 一份報紙
封
Letters, mail One letter yì fēnɡ xìn 一封信
fēnɡ
个/個 Generic measure word that can be 一个人
One person yí ɡe rén
ge used with anything 一個人
间/間 一间卧室
Room (living room, bedroom, etc) One bedroom yì jiān wò shì
jiān 一間臥室
一件衬衫
One shirt yí jiàn chèn shān
件 Items of clothing (generally for the 一件襯衫
jiàn upper body), matters, affairs,
One matter yí jiàn shì
一件事
棵 一棵树
Trees One tree yì kē shù
kē 一棵樹
辆/輛 Wheeled vehicles (such as cars, 一辆车
One car yí liànɡ chē
liànɡ bicycles, trucks) 一輛車
篇
Essay, article, report One article yì piān wén zhānɡ 一篇文章
piān
首 Passage of text (such as poems,
One song yì shǒu ɡē 一首歌
shǒu songs)
台 Fairly large electrical items (such as 一台电脑
One computer yì tái diàn nǎo
tái computers, washing machines) 一台電腦
一条毛巾
One towel yì tiáo máo jīn 一條毛巾
条/條 Long and winding objects (such as
tiáo towel, street, pants, rope)
One (pair) pants yì tiáo kù zi 一条裤子
一條褲子
位 People (a polite measure word to
One guest yí wèi kè rén 一位客人
wèi replace 个-ge)
张/張 Flat surfaces (table, sheet of paper, 一张桌子
One table yì zhānɡ zhuō zi
zhānɡ bed, photo) 一張桌子

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 Chinese Measure Words Summary Table

支 Fairly long, stick-like objects such 一支笔

One pen yì zhī bǐ
zhī as pens, pencils, cigarettes 一支筆
一只猫
One cat yì zhī māo
一隻貓
Animals, birds and insects 一只手
只/隻 One hand yì zhī shǒu
一隻手
zhī
One of a pair
一只鞋子
One shoe yì zhī xié zǐ
一隻鞋子
座
Large, relatively permanent thing One mountain yí zuò shān 一座山
zuò

Have fun with measure words!

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