Chinese Measure Word Finder

Chinese measure words (量词) are crucial for natural-sounding Chinese. Find the right classifier for any noun, with examples.

本běn

used for books, magazines, notebooks

Used with: 书 (book), 杂志 (magazine), 本子 (notebook)

一本书one book

三本杂志three magazines

个gè

general measure word (most common)

Used with: 人 (person), 朋友 (friend), 学生 (student)

一个人one person

三个朋友three friends

只zhī

used for animals (cats, dogs, birds)

Used with: 猫 (cat), 狗 (dog), 鸟 (bird), 鸡 (chicken)

一只猫one cat

两只鸟two birds

条tiáo

used for long thin things / fish / rivers

Used with: 鱼 (fish), 河 (river), 路 (road), 裤子 (pants)

一条鱼one fish

一条河one river

张zhāng

used for flat things: paper, tickets, tables

Used with: 纸 (paper), 票 (ticket), 桌子 (table), 照片 (photo)

一张纸one piece of paper

两张票two tickets

杯bēi

used for cups of liquid

Used with: 水 (water), 茶 (tea), 咖啡 (coffee)

一杯水one cup of water

两杯咖啡two cups of coffee

瓶píng

used for bottled liquids

Used with: 酒 (wine), 牛奶 (milk), 果汁 (juice)

一瓶酒one bottle of wine

块kuài

basic unit of RMB (informal)

Used with: 钱 (money)

十块钱ten yuan

五块five yuan

辆liàng

used for vehicles

Used with: 车 (car), 自行车 (bicycle), 公共汽车 (bus)

一辆车one car

两辆自行车two bicycles

把bǎ

used for items with handles

Used with: 伞 (umbrella), 刀 (knife), 椅子 (chair)

一把伞one umbrella

棵kē

used for plants / trees

Used with: 树 (tree), 草 (grass), 花 (flower)

一棵树one tree

朵duǒ

used for flowers and cloud-like things

Used with: 花 (flower), 云 (cloud)

一朵花one flower

双shuāng

used for pairs

Used with: 鞋 (shoes), 袜子 (socks), 筷子 (chopsticks)

一双鞋one pair of shoes

群qún

used for groups of people/animals

Used with: 人 (people), 羊 (sheep), 鸟 (birds)

一群人a crowd of people

家jiā

used for businesses / households

Used with: 公司 (company), 商店 (shop), 饭店 (restaurant)

一家公司one company

位wèi

polite measure word for people

Used with: 老师 (teacher), 客人 (guest), 医生 (doctor)

一位老师one teacher (polite)

件jiàn

used for clothing / matters

Used with: 衣服 (clothes), 衬衫 (shirt), 事 (matter)

一件衣服one piece of clothing

片piàn

used for slices / flat surfaces

Used with: 面包 (bread), 叶子 (leaf)

一片面包one slice of bread

种zhǒng

used for kinds / types

Used with: 动物 (animal), 颜色 (color)

一种水果one kind of fruit

条tiáo

also used for long clothing

Used with: 裤子 (pants), 裙子 (skirt), 毛巾 (towel)

一条裤子one pair of pants

How Chinese measure words work

Every noun in Chinese takes a measure word (量词 liàngcí) when counted. 个 (gè) is the universal default and works in most cases, but using the specific classifier sounds much more natural. English has only a few (“a loaf of bread”, “two heads of cattle”) — Chinese has hundreds.