Chinese Measure Word Finder
Type a noun in Chinese, pinyin or English to see which measure word goes with it, with pinyin and an example. Or browse the 40 most common measure words below.
The 40 most common measure words
Tap one to see what it's used for, example nouns and sentences.
- 个gèpeople and most everyday things
- 本běnbooks and bound volumes
- 张zhāngflat things like paper, tickets and tables
- 条tiáolong, narrow things, news and messages
- 只zhīanimals and one of a pair
- 件jiànclothes, matters and items
- 位wèipeople, politely
- 名míngpeople in formal or official contexts
- 辆liàngvehicles with wheels
- 台táimachines and devices
- 把bǎthings with a handle
- 块kuàipieces, chunks and watches
- 片piànslices, leaves and wide expanses
- 杯bēia cup or glass of something
- 瓶pínga bottle of something
- 碗wǎna bowl of food
- 双shuāngpairs, such as shoes and chopsticks
- 对duìcouples and matching pairs
- 副fùsets or pairs used together, like glasses
- 套tàosets, suits and apartments
- 家jiābusinesses and organizations
- 所suǒschools, hospitals and other institutions
- 座zuòlarge, fixed things like mountains and bridges
- 间jiānrooms
- 门ménsubjects, courses and languages
- 部bùfilms, whole works and phones
- 首shǒusongs and poems
- 篇piānarticles, essays and other written pieces
- 封fēngletters and emails
- 份fènportions, copies, documents and jobs
- 种zhǒngkinds and types
- 次cìtimes and occurrences
- 场chǎngevents, matches and performances
- 顿dùnmeals, and scoldings
- 节jiéclass periods, batteries and carriages
- 颗kēsmall, round things like stars and teeth
- 棵kētrees and plants
- 根gēnthin, stick-like things
- 支zhīpens, cigarettes and teams
- 道dàoquestions, dishes and lines
Wrong measure words are one of the most common mistakes
Our free Grammar Checker flags them, like 一个书 → 一本书, along with other grammar, character and punctuation errors.
Check your Chinese freeHow to use it
- Type a noun in Chinese (书), pinyin (shu or shū) or English (book).
- Pick the right word if there is more than one match.
- Use the measure word shown, or open its page for more examples and common mistakes.
What is a measure word?
In Chinese you can't put a number straight before a noun. You need a measure word (量词 liàngcí, also called a classifier) in between: 一本书 (a book), 两张票 (two tickets), 三只猫 (three cats). The same goes for 这 (this), 那 (that) and 几 (how many): 这本书, 几张票.
Each noun goes with a particular measure word, usually based on its shape or type: 张 for flat things, 条 for long thin things, 本 for books. Learning a noun together with its measure word is the easiest way to remember it.
Is 个 always OK?
个 is the most common measure word and is correct for people and many everyday things. In casual speech it's often used instead of a more specific one. In writing and in the HSK exam, though, the specific measure word is expected: 一本书, not 一个书.
Measure words for things you can't count
Liquids and other mass nouns are counted with a container or unit: 一杯水 (a glass of water), 一瓶牛奶 (a bottle of milk), 一块肉 (a piece of meat). The finder shows these as “Measure it with”.
How we build this
Answers come from two sources, and each answer is labelled with its source:
- From the CC-CEDICT dictionary: measure words recorded for the noun in CC-CEDICT, an open Chinese–English dictionary.
- AI-assisted, cross-checked: for common HSK nouns the dictionary doesn't cover, an AI model drafted the answer and a second AI review answered the same question without seeing the draft. We only publish answers where both agree; the rest show “no confirmed answer yet”.
Found a mistake? Use “Suggest a measure word” on any answer, or write to support@manfenyufa.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Chinese measure word?
个 (gè). It's used for people and for many objects and abstract things, like 一个人 (a person) and 一个问题 (a question). Many nouns have a more specific measure word that is better in writing, though.
How do I know which measure word to use?
Look it up here, or learn each new noun together with its measure word. Measure words often follow the shape of the thing: 张 for flat things, 条 for long thin things, 颗 for small round things.
Why does the tool say “no confirmed answer yet”?
We only show an answer when the dictionary has one or when two independent AI reviews agree. If they don't, we say so instead of guessing. You can suggest the right measure word with one tap.
Does the Grammar Checker catch wrong measure words?
Yes. Our free Chinese Grammar Checker flags wrong measure words, like 一个书 instead of 一本书, along with other grammar mistakes.
Is my search saved?
No. The lookup runs in your browser and your searches are not sent anywhere. Only a suggestion you choose to send reaches us.
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