How to use 量词
Number + Measure Word + Noun
Ordinary counted noun phrases in Mandarin commonly place a classifier between a number and a noun. The classifier reflects the kind of item, a conventional counting category, or the way the quantity is packaged. 个 is widespread, but many nouns naturally prefer another classifier in careful or idiomatic speech.
A single noun can take different measure words when the intended unit changes, such as an individual piece versus a container. Some measurement and time units combine with numbers directly, so the rule is not that every numerical expression must insert 个. Learn a noun together with its typical counting form, and pay attention to what is being counted rather than memorizing an English equivalent alone.
Examples with pinyin and English
一个人
a person
两只猫
two cats
三条鱼
three fish
四杯牛奶
four glasses of milk
What to remember
- Place the classifier between number and noun.
- Choose the unit according to intended quantity.
- Learn common noun and classifier combinations.
Practise the pattern
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.