Table of Contents

Grammar Point · HSK 5

7 Measure Words — 支支 zhī, 根根 gēn, 批批 pī, 束束 shù, 副副 fù, 集集 jí, 週周 zhōu

Seven more measure words: for slim manufactured objects, long thin natural things, batches, bundles, pairs and sets, TV episodes, and weeks.

The pattern is always Number + Measure Word + Noun. 支 zhī and 根 gēn both cover long, slender things, but they lean toward different kinds of objects — worth comparing side by side below.

1 Quick Reference

A cheat sheet before diving into examples.

Word	Used For	Example Nouns
支支 zhī	Slender manufactured objects	pens, cigarettes, dances, teams, dances
根根 gēn	Long, thin natural or simple objects	rope, hair, bananas, needles
批批 pī	A batch	goods, students, shipments
束束 shù	A bundle or bouquet	flowers, hay, light
副副 fù	Pairs or sets	glasses, gloves, playing cards
集集 jí	Episodes	TV series, collections
週周 zhōu	Weeks	time spans

2 Usage

支支 zhī — Slender Manufactured Objects

请qǐng给gěi我wǒ一支yìzhī笔bǐ

Please give me a pen.

你nǐ可以kěyǐ跟gēn我wǒ跳支tiàozhī舞wǔ吗ma？

Can you dance with me?

根根 gēn — Long, Thin Natural or Simple Objects

她tā头上tóushàng有yǒu一根yìgēn白bái头发tóufa

There’s a gray hair on her head.

我wǒ买mǎi了le一根yìgēn香蕉xiāngjiāo

I bought a banana.

Good to Know

支支 zhī and 根根 gēn both count long, thin things, but they lean different ways. 支支 zhī tends toward manufactured, purposeful objects — pens, cigarettes, even songs and teams. 根根 gēn tends toward simple or natural things — rope, hair, bananas, needles. There’s overlap and some regional variation, but this is a good starting rule of thumb.

批批 pī — A Batch

工厂gōngchǎng新进xīnjìn了le一批yìpī货huò

The factory just received a new batch of goods.

这批zhèpī学生xuéshēng特别tèbié优秀yōuxiù

This batch of students is particularly outstanding.

束束 shù — A Bundle or Bouquet

他tā送sòng了le她tā一束yíshù花huā

He gave her a bouquet of flowers.

一束yíshù阳光yángguāng照进zhàojìn房间fángjiān

A beam of sunlight shone into the room.

副副 fù — Pairs or Sets

他tā戴dài着zhe一副yífù眼镜yǎnjìng

He’s wearing a pair of glasses.

桌上zhuōshàng有yǒu一副yífù扑克牌pūkèpái

There’s a deck of cards on the table.

集集 jí — Episodes

这部zhè bù剧jù一共yígòng有yǒu二十集èrshíjí

This drama has twenty episodes in total.

我wǒ昨天zuótiān看kàn了le三集sānjí

I watched three episodes yesterday.

週周 zhōu — Weeks

我们wǒmen下周xiàzhōu见jiàn

See you next week.

这个zhège项目xiàngmù大概dàgài需要xūyào两周liǎngzhōu

This project will take about two weeks.

3 Practice Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct measure word.

我wǒ需要xūyào买mǎi一yì ＿＿＿新xīn笔bǐ。

I need to buy a new pen.

地上dìshàng有yǒu一yì ＿＿＿绳子shéngzi。

There’s a rope on the ground.

这zhè ＿＿＿苹果píngguǒ很hěn新鲜xīnxiān。

This batch of apples is very fresh.

我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一yí ＿＿＿玫瑰花méiguīhuā给gěi她tā。

I want to buy her a bouquet of roses.

他tā有yǒu三sān ＿＿＿手套shǒutào。

He has three pairs of gloves.

这部zhè bù动画dònghuà一共yígòng有yǒu五十wǔshí ＿＿＿。

This anime has fifty episodes.

我们wǒmen三sān ＿＿＿后hòu会huì完成wánchéng这个zhège项目xiàngmù。

We’ll finish this project in three weeks.

这支zhèzhī篮球队lánqiúduì很强hěnqiáng。

This basketball team is very strong.

我wǒ在zài地上dìshàng发现fāxiàn了le一yì ＿＿＿针zhēn。

I found a needle on the floor.

今天jīntiān来lái了le一大yídà ＿＿＿游客yóukè。

A large batch of tourists arrived today.

Enjoyed this post? Buy me a coffee so I can keep writing more of these ☕

Support OneDotDot Chinese

Chinese Measure Words 8

7 Measure Words — 支支 zhī, 根根 gēn, 批批 pī, 束束 shù, 副副 fù, 集集 jí, 週周 zhōu

1 Quick Reference