232 Chinese measure words you need to know: A useful guide

A measure of success in the Chinese language is how well you can use the Chinese measure words.

Although you’ll likely hear that there are shortcuts to avoiding the measure words, the truth is that you won’t attain true Chinese mastery unless you have a good handle on the measure words. Luckily for you, measure words shouldn’t be a completely foreign concept — English uses measure words quite frequently. The difference is that measure words aren’t always required in English, whereas they are always required when quantifying in Chinese.

In English, most nouns have pretty universal measurements, making the use of measure words unnecessary in most situations. For example, if you say you want to have a beer or a coffee, few people would have trouble picturing what you’ll be drinking. But the same isn’t true if you said you want “an ice cream.” Are you having a scoop of ice cream? A pint? A cone? A sundae? You’ll have to be more specific and say you want a pint of ice cream (no judgment!).

In Chinese, you always have to specify the unit of each noun, making measure words infinitely more important than in English. So, in this guide, we’ll get into everything you need to know about measure words, including what they are, what the most indispensable ones are, and — of course — some handy tips for learning measure words quickly.

If you can’t count the minutes until you’ve learned a few helpful measure words, we’ll get started right away!

How Chinese measure words function in the language

A measure word helps us indicate the amount or quantity of a specific noun or verb. In Chinese, these are known as 量词 (liàng cí) and are also known as classifiers.

For example, when you go to a restaurant, you might start by asking for a cup of water, followed by a bowl of noodles and perhaps one or two bottles of beer or a can of soda. The words cup, bowl, bottle, and can are all measure words, as they help quantify how much of something you want.

Mandarin measure words are used similarly to English measure words, and they generally follow this simple structure:

• =Number + Measure word + Noun

Here are some examples of the structure in action:

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
来两瓶啤酒。	lái liǎng píng pí jiǔ.	lai leang pyng pyi jeou.	I’ll have two bottles of beer.
我养了三只狗。	wǒ yǎng le sān zhī gǒu.	woo yeang .lhe san jy goou	I have raised three dogs.
我想买一辆车。	wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí liàng chē.	woo sheang mae yi lianq che.	I would like to buy one car.

10 must-know measure words in Chinese

Before we show you our ultimate list of Chinese measure words, we want to make sure that we can steer you in the right direction. Spending your time memorizing measure words definitely won’t be a productive use of your time. Although being able to pair the right measure word to the appropriate noun is the true sign of an advanced speaker, you won’t have to worry about that for a long time.

Luckily, there are a few measure words that are much more common than the others. That means that mastering even just ten measure words will put you ahead of the rest, and you won’t have to worry too much about the rest of the measure words until you significantly grow your vocabulary.

Here are ten of the most helpful measure words in Chinese.

个 (gè)

The first measure word on our list simply has to be 个 (gè). This is perhaps the most basic of the measure words, and it simply means “individual” or “units.” Although not all Chinese nouns use this measure word, you can think of this as a universal measure word that you can use when in doubt. Though it will still sound weird if you use 个 (gè) for a noun that goes with a different measure word, it will be less weird than using the incorrect measure word. So, when in doubt, go with 个 (gè)!

With that said, there are also countless nouns for which 个 (gè) is the appropriate measure word, so it’s still worth being the first one on your list. Here are some examples. Note that 个 (gè) loses its fourth tone when used as a measure word, and instead uses the neutral tone.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
他是一个好人。	tā shì yí ge hǎo rén.	ta shyh yi .ge hao ren	He is a good man.
这个问题很难解决。	zhè ge wèn tí hěn nán jiě jué.	jeh .ge wenn tyi heen nan jiee jyue	This problem is very hard to solve.
一个小小的误会。	yí ge xiǎo xiǎo de wù huì.	yi .ge sheau sheau .de wuh huey	A very small misunderstanding.

次 (cì)

This is one of the most useful measure words for actions. As opposed to 个 (gè), which is used exclusively with nouns, 次 (cì) is used with verbs to express the number of times something has happened. It is used very similarly to the word “times,” in English. As in English, you’ll need to use some Chinese numbers right before it to indicate the number of times something has happened.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
我去了两次。	wǒ qù le liǎng cì.	woo chiuh .lhe leang tsyh	I went two times.
我每周去学校三次。	wǒ měi zhōu qù xué xiào sān cì.	woo meei jou chiuh shyue shiaw san tsyh	I go to school three times a week.
这本书我已经看了两次。	zhè běn shū wǒ yǐ jīng kàn le liǎng cì.	jeh been shu woo yii jing kann .lhe leang tsyh	I have already read this book twice.

份 (fèn)

This measure word means “portion” or “part,” and is another very versatile measure word. You can use this for portions of food as well as for things that come in parts or volumes, like gifts, newspaper, magazine, papers, reports, and more!

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
两份米饭	liǎng fèn mǐ fàn	leang fenn mii fann	Two orders of rice.
一份报纸	yí fèn bào zhǐ	yi fenn baw jyy	A newspaper.
一份炒面	yí fèn chǎo miàn	yi fenn chao miann	An order of stir-fried noodles.

家 (jiā)

If you’re a beginner Chinese learner, then you’re probably already familiar with this word. It’s a word that can wear many hats, such as family, house, and schools of thought. On top of that, this word can also work as a measure word for businesses like shops, restaurants, and families.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
这家餐馆很好吃。	zhè jiā cān guǎn hěn hǎo chī.	jeh jia tsan goan heen hao chy	This restaurant is very good.
那家酒吧已经关门了。	nà jiā jiǔ bā yǐ jīng guān mén le.	nah jia jeou ba yii jing guan men .lhe	That bar is already closed.
三家银行	sān jiā yín háng	san jia yn harng	Three banks.

杯 (bēi)

If you’re still working up the courage to order at Chinese restaurants, then you need to get acquainted with this measure word. Any time you want to order a cup of any beverage, you can use 杯 (bēi). Here are some examples.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
来四杯燕麦拿铁。	lái sì bēi yàn mài ná tiě.	lai syh bei yann may na tiee	We’ll have four oat milk lattes.
我喝了两杯红酒。	wǒ hē le liǎng bēi hóng jiǔ.	woo he .lhe leang bei horng jeou	I drank two glasses of red wine.
一杯绿茶	yì bēi lǜ chá.	yih bei liuh char	A cup of green tea.

块 (kuài)

This is another measure word that’s used for pieces of things, although it also has a very popular use with money. You may have already heard of 元 (yuán) being used for money, which is certainly true. However, 块 (kuài) is used much more frequently in informal settings. So, if you’re shopping for fruits and vegetables on the street, you’re much more likely to hear 块 (kuài) instead of 元 (yuán) to refer to prices.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
一块蛋糕	yí kuài dàn gāo	yi kuay dann gau	One piece of cake.
三百块钱	sān bǎi kuài qián	san bae kuay chyan	300 Yuan (RMB).
五块巧克力	wǔ kuài qiǎo kè lì	wuu kuay cheau keh lih	Five pieces of chocolate.

片 (piàn)

This measure word is very helpful as it can be used to refer to slices of all kinds of thin, round things. You can use it to ask for a slice of bread or a slice of watermelon. You can also use it to ask for thin and flat things, like cookies and discs.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
一片饼干	yì piān bǐng gān	yih pian biing gan	One cookie.
两片面包	liǎng piàn miàn bāo	leang piann miann bau	Two slices of bread.
一片西瓜	yì piān xī guā	yih pian shi gua	A slice of watermelon.

条 (tiáo)

This measure word is used for long and skinny things like rivers, snakes, fish, pants, roads, and more. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s also the measure word for dogs! Now not all dogs are long and skinny, but imagine a funky little dachshund when thinking of the right measure word for your favorite pup.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
一条鱼	yì tiáo yú	yih tyau yu	One fish.
这条路很难找到。	zhè tiáo lù hěn nán zhǎo dào.	jeh tyau luh heen nan jao daw	This road is very hard to find.
我只有四条裤子。	wǒ zhǐ yǒu sì tiáo kùzi.	woo jyy yeou syh tyau kuh.tzy	I only have four pairs of pants.

张 (zhāng)

This object is used for flat things like papers, cards, tables, tickets, beds, newspapers, pictures, and much more. When not used as a measure word, this word can also mean “to open up” or “to spread,” so imagine opening up a newspaper next time you’re thinking of the right measure word for paper.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
两张火车票已经买好了。	liǎng zhāng huǒ chē piào yǐ jīng mǎi hǎo le.	leang jang huoo che piaw yii jing mae hao .lhe	I already bought two train tickets.
这张画是你自己画的吗？	zhè zhāng huà shì nǐ zì jǐ huà de ma?	jeh jang huah shyh nii tzyh jii huah .de .mha	Did you paint this painting yourself?
我只有一张银行卡。	wǒ zhǐ yǒu yì zhāng yín háng kǎ.	woo jyy yeou yih jang yn harng kaa	I only have one bank card.

只 (zhī)

Although many animals have different measure words, many of them use the measure word 只 (zhī). You can think of this as the general measure word for animals. It’s also used for body parts that come in pairs, like hands, arms, and feet.

Chinese	Pinyin	Pronunciation	English
那只猫是谁的？	nà zhī māo shì shéi de?	nah jyy mhau shyh sheir .de	Whose cat is that?
四只鸟	sì zhī niǎo	syh jyy neau	Four birds.
那只熊猫太可爱！	nà zhī xióng māo tài kě ài!	nah jyy shyong mhau tay kee ay	That panda is too cute!

A handy list of 232 Chinese measurement words

There are over 200 measure words in Chinese, and we’ve compiled a list of 232 of them to help you out in any situation. While this list can seem daunting even to intermediate speakers, keep in mind that not all of them are used on a regular basis. In fact, an overwhelming majority of them are frequently ignored, and native speakers often simplify by using a generic measure word even if there’s a more appropriate measure word.

However, this list can serve as a reference for you as you advance in your Chinese studies, so feel free to bookmark this page! You can always refer to this table if you have a question about what measure word is used

Number	Measure word	Pinyin	Pronunciation	Use	Examples
1	把	bǎ	baa	Bunches of things and objects with handles	叉子 - fork, 伞 - umbrella, 椅子 - chair
2	班	bān	ban	For classes/groups, work shifts and schedules	飞机 - flight, 学生 - students
3	瓣	bàn	bann	For pieces, segments and section	橘子 - orange, 蒜 - garlic, 西瓜 - watermelon
4	帮	bāng	bang	Groups of people	匪徒 - gangster / bandit
5	磅	bàng	banq	Pound (unit of weight)	水果 - fruit
6	包	bāo	bau	Things in packages or bags	饼干 - cracker, 礼品 - gift
7	杯	bēi	bei	Liquids	酒 - liquor, 茶 - tea, 咖啡 - coffee
8	辈	bèi	bey	Generations	人 - people
9	倍	bèi	bey	For multiples and multiplications	利润 - profits
10	本	běn	been	Books	词典 - dictionary, 护照 - passport, 日记 - diary
11	笔	bǐ	bii	Sums of money	贷款 - loan, 奖金 - bonus, 业务 - business
12	遍	biàn	biann	One-time actions	朗诵 - recital
13	拨	bō	bo	Small groups of people	人 - people
14	部	bù	buh	Films, machines, and dictionaries	词典 - dictionary, 电话 - phone call, 电影 - movie
15	餐	cān	tsan	Meals	饭 - food
16	册	cè	tseh	Books (with fewer pages)	画集 - an album of paintings
17	层	céng	tserng	Floors, levels, and layers	冰 - ice, 楼 - building, 台阶 - flight of step
18	场	chǎng	chaang	Events, films, and shows	电影 - movie, 比赛 - competition, 舞会 - a dance
19	车	chē	che	Things transported by vehicles	煤炭 - coal, 货物 - goods
20	成	chéng	cherng	Degrees or levels	熟 - cooked, 胜算 - degrees of success
21	池	chí	chyr	Some bodies of water	污水 - sewage
22	尺	chǐ	chyy	Unit of length	布 - a cloth
23	出	chū	chu	Dramas, plays, and operas	京剧 - Beijing opera, 闹剧 - farce
24	处	chù	chuh	Locations	场所 - location, 风景 - landscape
25	串	chuàn	chuann	Items that come in clusters	葡萄 - grape, 钥匙 - keys
26	床	chuáng	chwang	Sheets	被子 - quilt, 席子- mat
27	次	cì	tsyh	Enumerating	会议 - meeting, 机会 - opportunity, 实验 - test
28	簇	cù	tsuh	Bunched objects	鲜花 - fresh flowers
29	寸	cùn	tsuenn	Unit of length	布 - cloth, 宽 - wide
30	撮	cuō	tsuo	Small groups of people, livestock or utensils	人 - person, 头发 - hair
31	打	dá	dar	Dozens of things	铅笔 - pencil
32	袋	dài	day	Things that come in bags or snacks	肥料 - fertilizer, 米 - rice
33	代	dài	day	Generations	人 - person
34	担	dān	dan	A unit of mass	柴 - firewood, 水 - water
35	档	dàng	danq	Grades or levels	商品 - merchandise
36	道	dào	daw	Long things	菜 - vegetable, 闪电 - lightning, 手续 - procedure
37	滴	dī	di	Drops	汗 - sweat, 墨水 - ink
38	点	diǎn	dean	To measure time or to indicate just a little of something	时间 - time, 意见 - idea
39	叠	dié	dye	Stacked items	钱 - money, 账本 - ledgers
40	顶	dǐng	diing	Things that have a top	帽子 - hat
41	锭	dìng	dinq	Ingots	金子 - gold
42	栋	dòng	donq	Buildings	房子 - house
43	堵	dǔ	duu	Walls and fences	墙 - wall
44	段	duàn	duann	Segments or sections of something	时间 - time, 路 - road
45	堆	duī	duei	Things that come in stacks or piles	沙子 - spoon, 垃圾 - trash, 粮食 - food
46	对	duì	duey	Pairs of items	耳环 - earring, 夫妻 - husband and wife
47	队	duì	duey	Teams, lines or rows	士兵 - soldier, 骆驼 - camel
48	吨	dūn	duen	Metric ton	钢材 - steel, 煤 - coal
49	顿	dùn	duenn	Time and meals	骂 - a scolding, 早餐 - breakfast
50	朵	duǒ	duoo	For flowers, clouds and things that look as such	花 - flower, 蘑菇 - mushroom, 云 - cloud
51	发	fā	fa	Rounds of gunshots	炮弹 - artillery shell
52	番	fān	fan	Occurrences, iterations, situations	好意 - good intention, 话 - talk
53	方	fāng	fang	Square things	石碑 - stele
54	分	fēn	fen	Cents	钱 - money
55	分钟	fēn zhōng	fen jong	Minutes	时间 - time
56	份	fèn	fenn	Part or portion	报纸 - newspaper, 礼物 - gift
57	封	fēng	feng	Sealed objects like letters	邮件 - mail, 信 - letter
58	峰	fēng	feng	For things look like summit, such as camels	骆驼 - camel
59	幅	fú	fwu	Textiles or pictures	地图 - map, 画 - painting
60	服	fú	fwu	Medicine	中药 - traditional Chinese medicine
61	伏	fú	fwu	Voltages	电压 - voltage
62	付	fù	fuh	Medicine	药 - medicine
63	副	fù	fuh	Sets of things and facial expressions	表情 - facial expression, 耳环 - earring, 眼镜 - glasses
64	杆	gǎn	gaan	Things that look like sticks	旗 - flag, 枪 - gun
65	缸	gāng	gang	Jug	酒 - alcohol
66	个	gè	geh	Individual or unit	组织 - organization, 人 - person
67	根	gēn	gen	Long and slender objects	头发 - hair, 香肠 - sausage, 针 - needle
68	公尺	gōng chǐ	gong chyy	Meter	布 - cloth
69	公分	gōng fēn	gong fen	Centimeter	长 - long
70	公斤	gōng jīn	gong jin	Kilogram	面粉 - flour
71	公里	gōng lǐ	gong lii	Kilometer	路 -- road
72	公顷	gōng qǐng	gong chiing	Hectare	田 - field
73	公升	gōng shēng	gong sheng	Liter	汽油 - gasoline
74	股	gǔ	guu	Smell, flavor, strength, and more	香味 - smell/flavor, 烟 - cigarette, 志气 - spirit
75	挂	guà	guah	Things in strings	鞭炮 - firecrackers
76	管	guǎn	goan	Tubular items	牙膏 - toothpaste
77	罐	guàn	guann	Jars or cans	苏打 - soda, 蜂蜜 - honey
78	行	háng	harng	Line	泪水 - teardrops, 树 - tree, 字 - letter
79	毫米	háo mǐ	haur mii	Millimeter	宽 - width
80	毫升	háo shēng	haur sheng	Millimeter	水 - water
81	号	hào	haw	People	人 - person
82	盒	hé	her	Things in a box	巧克力 - chocolate
83	壶	hú	hwu	Liquids in the pot	茶 - tea, 酱油 - soy sauce
84	户	hù	huh	Households and families	人家 - household
85	回	huí	hwei	Acts of a play or sections of a chapter	演出 - performance
86	伙	huǒ	huoo	Crowds of people	叛徒 - traitor, 人 - person
87	级	jí	jyi	Ranks or levels	风 - custom, 台阶 - flights of steps
88	记	jì	jih	Blows, kicks, shots	耳光 - a slap on the face
89	剂	jì	jih	Medicine, chemical substance	药 - medicine, 疫苗 - vaccine
90	家	jiā	jia	Businesses or families	酒店 - hotel, 银行 - bank, 医院 - hospital
91	加仑	jiā lún	jia luen	Gallon	汽油 - gasoline
92	架	jià	jiah	Large vehicles and radios	飞机 - airplane, 钢琴 - piano
93	架次	jià cì	jiah tsyh	Number of flights	一千架次 - a thousand flights of stairs.
94	间	jiān	jian	Rooms and houses	教室 - classroom, 卧室 - bedroom
95	件	jiàn	jiann	Clothes, items and events	衬衫 - shirt, 家具 - furniture, 急事 - urgent matter
96	角	jiǎo	jeau	10 Cents	钱 - money
97	截	jié	jye	Sections and segments	粉笔 - chalk, 木头 - log
98	节	jié	jye	Sections and lengths	车厢 - carriage, 电池 - battery, 课 - class
99	届	jiè	jieh	Events, meetings, elections, classes	运动会 - sports event, 毕业生 - graduates
100	斤	jīn	jin	Unit of measurement equal to half a kilogram	苹果 - apple, 肉 - meat
101	局	jú	jyu	Games and matches	棋 - chess/go, 球赛 - sports match
102	具	jù	jiuh	Devices, coffins, and dead bodies	棺材 - coffin, 尸体 - corpse
103	句	jù	jiuh	Phrases or sentences	诗 - poem, 玩笑 - a joke, 谣言 - a rumor
104	卷	juǎn	jeuan	Rolls	胶卷 - roll of film, 手纸 - toilet paper, 毛线 - wool
105	棵	kē	ke	Trees and plants	白菜 - Chinese cabbage , 果树 - fruit trees
106	颗	kē	ke	Small spheres	葡萄 - grape, 花生 - peanut, 炸弹 - bomb
107	克	kè	keh	Gram	黄金 - gold
108	课	kè	keh	Lessons	一课 - one class
109	刻	kè	keh	Quarter of an hour	一刻 - a quarter of an hour
110	孔	kǒng	koong	Cave dwellings	窑 - coal, 石 - stone, 桥 - bridge
111	口	kǒu	koou	Things with mouths like people, cannons, wells, and more	锅 - pot, 井 - a well, 人 - person
112	块	kuài	kuay	Pieces, chunks, and money	钱 - money, 蛋糕 - cake
113	筐	kuāng	kuang	Baskets of things	菜 - vegetable
114	捆	kǔn	koen	Bunches and bundles	柴火 - firewood, 葱 - scallion, 书 - book
115	篮	lán	lan	Baskets of things	蔬菜 - vegetables
116	类	lèi	ley	Types, class, and categories	矛盾 - contradiction, 人 - person, 药品 - medicine
117	里	lǐ	lii	500 meters	路程 - route
118	粒	lì	lih	Round, grain-like things	种子 - seed, 沙子 - sand
119	立方米	lì fāng mǐ	lih fang mii	Cubic meter	石 - stone, 料 - grain
120	两	liǎng	leang	Tea and gold	茶叶 - tea leaves
121	辆	liàng	lianq	Vehicles	出租车 - taxi, 自行车 - bicycle
122	列	liè	lieh	Lines or rows of things	火车 - train, 队伍 - troops, 士兵 - soldiers
123	轮	lún	luen	Round, for sports, game, meeting, etc	比赛 - competition, 谈判 - negotiation
124	摞	luò	luoh	Things that can be put in stacks	书 - books, 砖 - bricks
125	缕	lǚ	leu	For wisps (of smoke, mist or vapor), strands, locks (of hair)	头发 - hair, 麻 - linen, 烟 - cigarette
126	毛	máo	mau	A dime (one-tenth of a yuan)	钱 - money
127	枚	méi	mei	Coins, stamps, and some weapons	大炮 - canon, 硬币 - coin, 邮票 - postage stamp
128	门	mén	men	Large guns, lessons, and study subjects	大炮 - canon, 课程 - class, 学说 - theory
129	米	mǐ	mii	Meter	绸子 - silk fabric, 距离 - distance
130	面	miàn	miann	For flat things	国旗 - national flag, 镜子 - mirror, 墙 - wall
131	秒	miǎo	meau	Second (time)	一秒 - one second
132	名	míng	ming	People	学生 - student, 工人 - worker, 会员 - member
133	亩	mǔ	muu	Land and fields	地 - land, 田地 - farmland
134	幕	mù	muh	Plays and shows	歌剧 - Western opera, 话剧 - stage play
135	年	nián	nian	A year	一年 - one year
136	排	pái	pair	Things that can be arranged in rows	士兵 - soldier, 椅子 - chair
137	派	pài	pay	For school of thought, political group, scene, speech etc.	观点 - point of view, 胡言 - mustache, 景象 - scene
138	盘	pán	parn	Dishes and games	牛肉 - beef, 棋 - chess, 比赛 - competition
139	泡	pāo	paw	Urine and stool	尿 - urine, 屎 - stool
140	盆	pén	pern	Water and other liquids	凉水 - cool water
141	匹	pī	pi	Horses, mules, and rolls of cloth	马 - horse, 缎子 - satin, 骡子 - mule
142	批	pī	pi	Batches of things or people	员工 - employee, 产品 - products
143	篇	piān	pian	Paper, pages, articles, and other papers with words.	报告 - report, 论文 - paper, 日记 - diary
144	片	piàn	piann	For slices, tablets, a stretch of land, a water surface, scene, atmosphere, sound, feeling, etc.	海 - ocean, 面包 - bread, 肉 - meat
145	瓶	píng	pyng	Liquids contained in bottles	葡萄酒 - wine, 香水 - perfume
146	平方公里	píng fāng gōng lǐ	pyng fang gong lii	Square kilometer	地 - land
147	平方米	píng fāng mǐ	pyng fang mii	Square meter	面积 - land
148	期	qī	chi	Things that can be divided into periods of time	杂志 - magazine
149	起	qǐ	chii	Unpredictable events	车祸 - car crash, 火灾 - serious fire
150	千克	qiān kè	chian keh	Kilogram	大米 - rice
151	千瓦	qiān wǎ	chianwaa	Kilowatt	功率 - power
152	腔	qiāng	chiang	A body cavity	愤怒 - anger
153	顷	qǐng	chiing	Unit of area equal to 100 mu	土地 - soil
154	曲	qǔ	cheu	Songs	歌 - song, 戏 - drama
155	群	qún	chyun	Groups or flocks of people and animals	人 - person, 羊 - lamb
156	人次	rén cì	ren tsyh	Specifying the number of people participating	三千人次 - three thousand people participating
157	人年	rén nián	ren nian	Effort estimates, person per year	工作量 - workload
158	日	rì	ryh	A day	一日 - one day
159	扇	shàn	shann	Windows and doors	窗户 - window, 门 - door
160	勺	sháo	shaur	Spoon, for liquid like soup	汤 - soup, 药 - medicine
161	身	shēn	shen	Body, means “a suits of” or "a body full of"	西服 - suit, 泥 - mud
162	升	shēng	sheng	Liter and dry grain	大米 - rice, 汽油 - gasoline
163	声	shēng	sheng	Sounds	喊叫 - shouting, 枪响 - gun
164	手	shǒu	shoou	Hand, for skills and proficiency	菜 - dish, 绝活 - specialty, 字 - handwriting
165	首	shǒu	shoou	Poems and songs	歌 - song, 诗 - poem
166	束	shù	shuh	Bundles and bunches	鲜花 - fresh flower, 光 - light
167	双	shuāng	shuang	Pairs	脚 - foot, 筷子 - chopsticks
168	丝	sī	sy	Wires and strings, also means ​​a little	希望 - a wish
169	艘	sōu	sou	Boats and ships	帆船 - sailboat, 客船 - passenger ship
170	所	suǒ	suoo	Buildings and institutions	幼儿园 - kindergarten, 医院 - hospital
171	台	tái	tair	Machines	电脑 - computer, 电视机 - television
172	滩	tān	tan	For liquid and paste-like substances	泥 - mud, 血 - blood
173	摊	tān	tan	Things that need to be handled, like tasks or businesses	业务 - business
174	坛	tán	tarn	Liquids like wine and vinegar	酒 - alcohol, 醋 - vinegar
175	堂	táng	tarng	Classes	课 - class
176	趟	tàng	tanq	Times and trips	班机 - flight, 火车 - train, 公差 - errand
177	套	tào	taw	Collections or sets	书 - books, 设备 - equipment
178	天	tiān	tian	Day	三天 - three days
179	条	tiáo	tyau	Long and narrow things, bar-shaped objects, and life	腿 - leg, 人命 - human life, 路 - road
180	贴	tiē	tie	Things that can be stuck on	膏药 - herbal plaster applied to a wound
181	听	tīng	ting	Canned beverages	苏打 - soda
182	挺	tǐng	tiing	Machine guns	机枪 - machine gun
183	通	tōng	tong	For communications like phone calls and conversations	电话 - phone call
184	筒	tǒng	toong	Things contained in canisters	茶叶 - tea leaves
185	桶	tǒng	toong	Things contained in barrels	石油 - petroleum
186	头	tóu	tour	For animals, livestock, and garlic	大象 - elephant, 牛 - cow, 蒜 - garlic
187	团	tuán	twan	For something in the shape of a ball	火 - fire, 毛线 - wool
188	坨	tuó	two	For lumps of soft things	泥 - mud
189	丸	wán	wan	For something in the shape of a small ball, like chinese medicine	药 - medicine
190	碗	wǎn	woan	Things contained in bowls	汤 - soup, 米饭 - cooked rice
191	微米	wēimǐ	ueimii	Measuring unit (one thousandth of a millimeter)	宽 - width, 长 - length
192	尾	wěi	woei	For things with tail, like fish	鱼 - fish
193	位	wèi	wey	People	官员 - an official, 科学家 - scientist
194	窝	wō	uo	Nest, for animals	蚂蚁 - ant, 猪 - pig
195	席	xí	shyi	Banquets and conversations	话 - conversation, 盛宴 - banquet
196	系列	xì liè	shih lieh	Series	报道 - report, 文章 - essay
197	下	xià	shiah	To indicate the repetition of an action	几下 - a few times
198	线	xiàn	shiann	Ray or hope	亮光 - beam of light, 希望 - a wish
199	箱	xiāng	shiang	Cases of things	苹果 - apples, 衣服 - clothes
200	项	xiàng	shianq	Items, tasks, and projects	方案 - program, 合同 - contract, 业务 - business
201	些	xiē	shie	A few or some items	零钱 - small changes, 耐心 - patience, 人 - person
202	宿	xiǔ	sheou	Night	一宿 - one night
203	眼	yǎn	yean	For big hollow things	井 - well, 泉水 - spring water
204	样	yàng	yanq	Patterns and types	点心 - dim sum, 工具 - tool
205	页	yè	yeh	For thing in pages	传单 - leaflet
206	夜	yè	yeh	Night	一夜 - one night
207	英亩	yīng mǔ	ing muu	Acre	土地 - land
208	员	yuán	yuan	Certain kinds of people	猛将 - valiant general
209	元	yuán	yuan	Unit of money, RMB	钱 - money, 人民币 - RMB
210	匝	zā	tza	Number of revolutions	一匝 - one revolution
211	载	zǎi	tzae	Year	三载 - three years
212	则	zé	tzer	Short sections of written documents	新闻 - news
213	盏	zhǎn	jaan	Lamps	灯 - lamp
214	站	zhàn	jann	Station	路 - road
215	章	zhāng	jang	Chapters	小说 - novel
216	张	zhāng	jang	For objects with flat surfaces	脸 - face, 邮票 - stamp, 床 - bed
217	丈	zhàng	janq	Unit of length equal to 3.3 meters	布 - cloth
218	阵	zhèn	jenn	Events of short duration	雨 - rain, 笑声 - laughter
219	帧	zhèng	jenq	Pictures and frames	画面 - picture
220	支	zhī	jy	For long, thin, inflexible objects and musical compositions	蜡烛 - candle, 歌 - song
221	只	zhī	jy	Mostly for animals, but can also used for other certain things	猫 - cat, 耳朵 - ear
222	种	zhǒng	joong	Kinds or types of things	本能 - instinct, 动物 - animal
223	轴	zhóu	jour	Rolls and spools	线 - money, 画 - painting
224	株	zhū	ju	Trees and plants	麦子 - wheat, 树苗 - sapling
225	注	zhù	juh	For deals or sums of money	彩票 - lottery ticket
226	桩	zhuāng	juang	Conditions and business transactions	案件 - (law/crime) case, 买卖 - business deal
227	幢	zhuàng	juanq	Buildings	大厦 - skyscraper
228	桌	zhuō	juo	Table, for meals and food	西餐 - Western food, 宴席 - banquet
229	宗	zōng	tzong	For matter, loan, etc.	货款 - payment, 生意 - business
230	组	zǔ	tzuu	Groups of things or people	电池 - battery, 雕塑 - a statue
231	尊	zūn	tzuen	Cannons and statues	大炮 - canon, 雕塑 - a statue
232	座	zuò	tzuoh	​​Buildings, mountains, and large things	宫殿 - palace, 山 - mountain, 雕像 - sculpture

Useful tips for learning Chinese measure words

If you saw the impressive list of over 200 measure words above and didn’t immediately exit the page, we salute you. Although learning specific measure words for each noun can feel tedious, it’s also one key thing that distinguishes serious Chinese learners from casual enthusiasts. Not only will using the correct measure word impress your native-speaking friends, but it’s also something that comes later in the learning journey.

With that said, here are a few tips for learning the Chinese measurement words.

1. Immersion

Total immersion is one of the best things you can do for your Chinese learning. That’s one of the main pillars of the Berlitz Method, which has been helping students increase their foreign language proficiency level for over a hundred years.

Part of the reason this immersive method works so well is that you get to see first-hand how people interact with the language. At the end of the day, you want to be able to communicate with people, not textbooks. That’s the beauty about living languages — people interact with them in creative ways, resulting in a spoken language that differs significantly from the official rules.

So, if you’re looking for a less painful way than simply memorizing hundreds of measure words, then you’ll want to find a way to increase your immersion. The obvious route is to spend some time in a Chinese-speaking country, but here are some other creative ways to experience some Chinese immersion:

• Use Chinese apps. Let’s face it, we all spend quite some time on social media! Try using Chinese social media apps like Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and WeChat, and start learning Chinese in your free time!
• Watch Chinese media. It’s very easy to find Chinese movies and TV shows nowadays, even on platforms like Netflix. If you prefer watching YouTube, then check out Bilibili, which is China’s equivalent platform!
• Visit Chinese-owned businesses. No matter where you live, there’s probably an authentic Chinese restaurant nearby. Even if your pronunciation isn’t fully there, most native Chinese speakers will appreciate that you’re making an effort to learn their beautiful language.
• Use sticky notes. This is a tried-and-true method that no student should overlook. It consists of using sticky notes for all items in your home. Just add the measure word in front of the noun, and you’ll naturally learn new vocabulary and measure words!
• Make new friends. Who doesn’t love making new friends? Fortunately, this is one of the best ways to ensure that you spend as much time as possible engaging with the Chinese language. That means more chances for you to see the measure words in action!

Although the first few times you experience full immersion will surely come as a shock to you, the beauty of it is that it gets easier the more you do it. So, don’t be scared to put yourself out of your comfort zone!

2. Memorization

As any advanced Chinese learner will tell you, there is no escaping memorization when learning Chinese. Since there isn’t such a thing as a Chinese alphabet, you’ll have to memorize thousands of characters on your own. While there are tools to help you figure out the sound or meaning of characters — like the Chinese radicals — you’ll have to find an efficient way to memorize new words.

Science has shown time and time again that spaced repetition is one of the best study techniques for memorization. This involves using flashcards or software to schedule reviews of vocabulary based on each word’s difficulty. In other words, you’ll review difficult words much more frequently than words you get right consistently, helping you conquer those tough words.

​​Measure words in Chinese Chengyu

Learning Chinese cannot be separated from learning about Chinese culture and history, and Chengyu are a clear example of this. Also known as the Chinese idioms, Chengyu most often consist of four characters that tell a longer story. Of course, to understand Chengyu, you must also be familiar with the story that is being referenced.

As you progress in your Mandarin Chinese learning journey, you’ll start understanding some of the wise and interesting stories behind these Chengyu. To help you move right along, here are some helpful Chengyu including measure words.

Chengyu	Pinyin	Pronunciation	Literal meaning	Chengyu meaning
斤斤计较	jīn jīn jì jiào	jin jin jih jiaw	To worry about every catty (500 grams)	To be precise about every little detail
得寸进尺	dé cùn jìn chǐ	der tsuenn jinn chyy	Win an inch, want a foot	The more you get, the more you want
事半功倍	shì bàn gōng bèi	shyh bann gong bey	Half the work, double achievement	To attain maximum results with minimal effort
半斤八两	bàn jīn bā liǎng	bann jin ba leang	Half a catty (500 grams), eight 1/16 of a catty	A negligible difference

FAQs about Chinese measure words

What are the measure words for money in Chinese?

Chinese uses several measure words for money, including:

• 分 (fēn) - CNY 0.01
• 毛 (máo) - CNY 0.10
• 角 (jiǎo) - CNY 0.10
• 块 (kuài) - CNY 1.00
• 元 (yuán) - CNY 1.00

The most common measure word in spoken Chinese is 块 (kuài), while the most common in written Chinese is 元 (yuán).

What are the common Chinese measure words for people?

The most common Chinese measure word for people is 个 (gè), which also happens to be the most common measure word out there. Chinese also uses the following measure words to refer to people depending on the context:

Describing Individuals:

• 名 (míng)
• 位 (wèi)
• 口 (kǒu)

Describing a group of people:

• 帮 (bāng)
• 伙 (huǒ)
• 群 (qún)

Learn the Chinese measure words to speak like a true native!

Studying Mandarin Chinese is a long process, and it can often feel like your progress is very slow. Lucky for you, learning Mandarin measure words is a quick and easy way to score a significant improvement in your proficiency level.

However, don’t stress yourself out too much by attempting to learn 200+ measure words in Chinese. Just getting a handle on the ten most common measure words will have a tremendous impact on the accuracy of your Mandarin!

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to take a look at our Mandarin Chinese blog, where we publish helpful guides to improve your Chinese. If you haven’t yet, check out our top ten tips for learning Chinese characters to supercharge your learning!