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measure word

Usage note

”是一常用的量词,用在名词前面表示数量,比如一人、一苹果。

“gè” shì yī gè cháng yòng de liàng cí, yòng zài míng cí qián miàn biǎo shì shù liàng, bǐ rú yī gè rén, yī gè píng guǒ.

“个” is a common measure word used before nouns to count people or objects, like one person or one apple.

Context note

”是中文里最常用的量词,用在很多名词前面,比如一人、一苹果。它属于日常生活中的基础用词。

“gè” shì zhōngwén lǐ zuì chángyòng de liàngcí, yòng zài hěnduō míngcí qiánmiàn, bǐrú yī gè rén, yī gè píngguǒ. Tā shǔyú rìcháng shēnghuó zhōng de jīchǔ yòngcí.

This is the most common measure word in Chinese, used before many nouns like 'a person' or 'an apple'. It's a basic word for everyday life.

5 examples

苹果
yī gè píngguǒ
one apple
橘子
liǎng gè júzǐ
two oranges
香蕉
sān gè xiāngjiāo
three bananas
梨子
sì gè lízi
four pears
桃子
wǔ gè táozi
five peaches

5 mini stories

妈妈买了三苹果。爸爸吃了两
māma mǎi le sān gè píngguǒ. dàdaddy chī le liǎng gè.
Mom bought three apples. Dad ate two.
我有两朋友。他们都是男孩。
wǒ yǒu liǎng gè péngyǒu. tāmen dōu shì nán hái.
I have two friends. They are both boys.
奶奶做了五饺子。我们吃了三
nǎinai zuò le wǔ gè jiǎojiǎo. wǒmen chī le sān gè.
Grandma made five dumplings. We ate three.
哥哥有四玩具车。弟弟有两
gēge yǒu sì gè yóuqì chē. dìdi yǒu liǎng gè.
Brother has four toy cars. Brother has two.
我们班有三十同学。大家都很高兴。
wǒmen bān yǒu sānshí gè tóngxué. dàjiē rén men dōu hěn gāoxìng.
Our class has thirty students. Everyone is very happy.

Mini dialogue

一个苹果

A
你想吃苹果吗?
Nǐ xiǎng chī píngguǒ ma?
Do you want to eat an apple?
B
好,我要一苹果。
Hǎo, wǒ yào yī gè píngguǒ.
Okay, I want one apple.

几个人

A
教室里有几学生?
Jiàoshì lǐ yǒu jǐ gè xuéshēng?
How many students are in the classroom?
B
有三学生。
Yǒu sān gè xuéshēng.
There are three students.

Related words and contrasts

contrast
zhī
measure word for animals, one of a pair

Used for animals like cats and birds, not for people or general objects like 个.

contrast
běn
measure word for books

Used specifically for books, not general items.

contrast
kǒu
measure word for family members

Used for counting people in a family, e.g., 三口人 (three people).

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