Table of Contents

Grammar Point · HSK 1

9 Measure Words — 本本 běn, 個个 gè, 家家 jiā, 口口 kǒu, 塊块 kuài, 件件 jiàn, 隻只 zhī, 元元 yuán, 杯杯 bēi

Every noun in Chinese needs a measure word before it when you count it. These nine are the everyday essentials — the ones you’ll use in your very first conversations.

The pattern is always Number + Measure Word + Noun. If you’re ever unsure which measure word to use, 個个 gè is the safest fallback — more on that below.

1 Quick Reference

A cheat sheet before diving into examples.

Word	Used For	Example Nouns
本本 běn	Books and printed materials	books, magazines, dictionaries
個个 gè	The all-purpose default	people, apples, most everyday nouns
家家 jiā	Families and businesses	families, shops, restaurants
口口 kǒu	People in a household	family members
塊块 kuài	Money (spoken), or chunks	kuai, pieces of cake or bread
件件 jiàn	Clothes and matters	clothing, affairs, items
隻只 zhī	Animals, and one of a pair	cats, dogs, a hand or eye
元元 yuán	Money (written/formal)	yuan, prices
杯杯 bēi	Cups of something	coffee, tea, water

2 Usage

本本 běn — Books and Printed Materials

我wǒ买mǎi了le一本yìběn书shū

I bought a book.

桌上zhuōshàng有yǒu两本liǎngběn杂志zázhì

There are two magazines on the table.

個个 gè — The All-Purpose Default

我wǒ有yǒu一个yíge苹果píngguǒ

I have an apple.

他tā是shì一个yíge好hǎo老师lǎoshī

He is a good teacher.

Good to Know

個个 gè is the most common measure word in the language, and the safest one to reach for when you’re not sure which measure word a noun takes. It’s not always technically correct, but native speakers will understand you every time, and it’s a great starting point while you’re still learning the more specific ones.

家家 jiā — Families and Businesses

我们wǒmen是shì一家人yìjiārén

We are a family.

附近fùjìn有yǒu一家yìjiā咖啡店kāfēidiàn

There’s a coffee shop nearby.

口口 kǒu — People in a Household

我家wǒjiā有yǒu四口sìkǒu人rén

There are four people in my family.

他们家tāmen jiā一共yígòng五口wǔkǒu人rén

Their family has five people in total.

Good to Know

口口 kǒu (literally “mouth”) is reserved specifically for counting the people in one household — as in “how many mouths to feed.” For counting people in general, use 個个 gè instead: 我家有四口人我家有四口人 (my family) but 教室裡有四個人教室里有四个人 (the classroom).

塊块 kuài — Money (Spoken), or Chunks

这个zhège蛋糕dàngāo十块shíkuài钱qián

This cake costs ten kuai.

请qǐng给gěi我wǒ一块yíkuài面包miànbāo

Please give me a piece of bread.

件件 jiàn — Clothes and Matters

她tā买mǎi了le一件yíjiàn新xīn衣服yīfú

She bought a new piece of clothing.

我wǒ有yǒu一件yíjiàn事shì想xiǎng跟gēn你nǐ说shuō

I have something I want to tell you.

隻只 zhī — Animals, and One of a Pair

我家wǒjiā有yǒu一只yìzhī猫māo

My family has a cat.

他tā只有zhǐyǒu一只yìzhī手shǒu可以kěyǐ用yòng

He only has one hand he can use.

元元 yuán — Money (Written/Formal)

这本zhèběn书shū三十元sānshíyuán

This book is thirty yuan.

车票chēpiào是shì十五元shíwǔyuán

The ticket is fifteen yuan.

Good to Know

塊块 kuài and 元元 yuán refer to the exact same unit of money — they’re not different amounts. 塊块 kuài is what people say out loud in everyday conversation, while 元元 yuán is the formal, written form you’ll see on price tags, receipts, and official documents.

杯杯 bēi — Cups of Something

我wǒ想xiǎng喝hē一杯yìbēi咖啡kāfēi

I want to drink a cup of coffee.

她tā每天měitiān喝hē三杯sānbēi水shuǐ

She drinks three cups of water every day.

3 Practice Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct measure word.

我wǒ有yǒu三sān ＿＿＿书shū。

I have three books.

这zhè是shì一yí ＿＿＿好主意hǎozhǔyì。

This is a good idea.

我家wǒjiā附近fùjìn有yǒu一yì ＿＿＿书店shūdiàn。

There’s a bookstore near my house.

你家nǐjiā有yǒu几jǐ ＿＿＿人rén？

How many people are in your family?

这zhè ＿＿＿蛋糕dàngāo看起来kànqǐlái很好吃hěnhǎochī。

This piece of cake looks delicious.

我wǒ买mǎi了le两liǎng ＿＿＿新xīn衬衫chènshān。

I bought two new shirts.

她tā有yǒu两liǎng ＿＿＿狗gǒu。

She has two dogs.

这个zhège包包bāobāo八十bāshí ＿＿＿。

This bag costs eighty yuan.

我wǒ可以kěyǐ喝hē一yì ＿＿＿茶chá吗ma？

Can I have a cup of tea?

我家wǒjiā一共yígòng六liù ＿＿＿人rén。

My family has six members.

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Chinese Measure Words 1

9 Measure Words — 本本 běn, 個个 gè, 家家 jiā, 口口 kǒu, 塊块 kuài, 件件 jiàn, 隻只 zhī, 元元 yuán, 杯杯 bēi

1 Quick Reference