Chinese Measure Words List All 144 classifiers · pinyin, nouns, story examples

Name: Chinese measure words (classifiers) list
Creator: Literate Chinese

A Chinese measure word (量词 liàngcí, also called a classifier) sits between a number and a noun: 三本书 sān běn shū, “three books”; 两只猫 liǎng zhī māo, “two cats”. The pattern is always number + measure word + noun, and it also follows 这 “this”, 那 “that”, 几 “how many” and 每 “every”. When in doubt, 个 gè is the default. Below are the 144 measure words in the Literate Chinese dictionary, ranked by how often each one is actually used in our 958 Mandarin stories.

Chinese measure words in 30 seconds

Pattern: number or 这/那/几/每 + measure word + noun. 三书 is wrong; 三本书 is right.
个 gè covers people, abstract nouns and many objects, and is 44% of every measure-word use we counted.
The top 10 make up 79% of uses and the top 30 make up 95%, so learn those first and pick up the rest while reading.
“Two” before a measure word is 两 liǎng, not 二: 两个人.
The shape of the thing decides the word: flat 张, long and thin 条, with a handle 把, small and round 颗.

144measure words in this list

5,101measure-word uses counted in 958 stories

79%of uses are the top 10

66with an example from a free story

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The 30 measure words to learn first

These are the 30 measure words used most often in the Literate Chinese catalog, measured across 958 Mandarin stories in November 2026. Each row shows what the word counts, three nouns it goes with, and a sentence from one of our free stories (tap “story →” to read it). The last column is how many times it appears as a measure word.

#	Measure word	Reading	What it counts	Example from a story	Uses
1	个個	gèㄍㄜˋ	the general-purpose measure word: people and most things 人 rén person 朋友 péngyou friend 问题問題 wèntí question	家里有一个大箱子。家裡有一個大箱子。Jiālǐ yǒu yí ge dà xiāngzi.There was a big box in the house. story →	2,232
2	点點	diǎnㄉㄧㄢˇ	small amounts and points: suggestions, ideas; also o'clock 意见意見 yìjiàn opinion 建议建議 jiànyì suggestion 要求 yāoqiú request	我得七点起床。我得七點起床。Wǒ děi qī diǎn qǐchuáng.I had to get up at seven. story →	549
3	次	cìㄘˋ	times or occurrences of an action or event 机会機會 jīhuì opportunity 考试考試 kǎoshì exam 旅行 lǚxíng trip	乐乐听一次，就不会忘。樂樂聽一次，就不會忘。Lèlè tīng yí cì, jiù búhuì wàng.Lele hears something once and never forgets. story →	311
4	位	wèiㄨㄟˋ	people, politely 老师老師 lǎoshī teacher 客人 kèrén guest 先生 xiānsheng gentleman	陈明是一位外卖员。陳明是一位外賣員。Chén Míng shì yí wèi wàimài yuán.Chen Ming is a delivery driver. story →	182
5	只隻	zhīㄓ	animals and birds; one of a pair (a shoe, a hand) 猫貓 māo cat 鸟鳥 niǎo bird 鸡雞 jī chicken	一只青蛙住在井里。一隻青蛙住在井裡。Yì zhī qīngwā zhù zài jǐng lǐ.A frog lived in a well. story →	172
6	块塊	kuàiㄎㄨㄞˋ	pieces, lumps, and chunks: soap, cake, land; also yuan 钱錢 qián money 蛋糕 dàngāo cake 石头石頭 shítou stone	司机说：“三十块左右。”司機說：“三十塊左右。”Sījī shuō: “Sānshí kuài zuǒyòu.”The driver said, "Around thirty yuan." story →	158
7	条條	tiáoㄊㄧㄠˊ	long, thin, flexible things: rivers, roads, fish, pants, news items 路 lù road 鱼魚 yú fish 河 hé river	“老板，这条围巾多少钱？”“老闆，這條圍巾多少錢？”“Lǎobǎn, zhè tiáo wéijīn duōshǎo qián?”"Boss, how much is this scarf?" story →	125
8	家	jiāㄐㄧㄚ	businesses and households: shops, restaurants, companies 公司 gōngsī company 商店 shāngdiàn store 饭店飯店 fàndiàn restaurant	他走进一家药店。他走進一家藥店。Tā zǒujìn yì jiā yàodiàn.He walked into a pharmacy. story →	113
9	碗	wǎnㄨㄢˇ	bowls of something 饭飯 fàn meal 汤湯 tāng soup 面 miàn noodles	“好，来两碗牛肉面，再来一个青菜。”“好，來兩碗牛肉麵，再來一個青菜。”“Hǎo, lái liǎng wǎn niúròumiàn, zài lái yí ge qīngcài.”"Great. Two bowls of beef noodles, and a plate of greens." story →	110
10	件	jiànㄐㄧㄢˋ	items of clothing (tops), matters, and pieces of luggage 衣服 yīfu clothes 事 shì matter 礼物禮物 lǐwù gift	万一山上很冷怎么办？再带一件厚衣服。萬一山上很冷怎麼辦？再帶一件厚衣服。Wànyī shānshàng hěn lěng zěnmebàn? Zài dài yí jiàn hòu yīfu.What if it's cold up the mountain? Add a thick jacket. story →	96
11	句	jùㄐㄩˋ	sentences and lines of speech 话話 huà words 成语成語 chéngyǔ idiom	小婷想学一句英文。小婷想學一句英文。Xiǎotíng xiǎng xué yí jù Yīngwén.Xiaoting wants to learn one sentence of English. story →	96
12	张張	zhāngㄓㄤ	flat things: paper, tickets, tables, beds, photos 桌子 zhuōzi table 纸紙 zhǐ paper 票 piào ticket	“这张照片是我在上海拍的。”“這張照片是我在上海拍的。”“Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn shì wǒ zài Shànghǎi pāi de.”"I took this photo in Shanghai." story →	82
13	种種	zhǒngㄓㄨㄥˇ	kinds, types, and sorts 东西東西 dōngxi thing 水果 shuǐguǒ fruit 方法 fāngfǎ method	鹤是一种大鸟，腿很长。鶴是一種大鳥，腿很長。Hè shì yì zhǒng dà niǎo, tuǐ hěn cháng.A crane is a big bird with very long legs. story →	72
14	本	běnㄅㄣˇ	books and other bound things: notebooks, magazines, dictionaries 书書 shū book 词典詞典 cídiǎn dictionary 杂志雜誌 zázhì magazine	这本书说，世界上有两种工作。這本書說，世界上有兩種工作。Zhè běn shū shuō, shìjièshàng yǒu liǎng zhǒng gōngzuò.The book says there are two kinds of work in the world. story →	62
15	杯	bēiㄅㄟ	cups and glasses of a drink 茶 chá tea 咖啡 kāfēi coffee 水 shuǐ water	“要喝什么？”“两杯热茶，谢谢。”“要喝什麼？”“兩杯熱茶，謝謝。”“Yào hē shénme?” “Liǎng bēi rèchá, xièxie.”"Anything to drink?" "Two cups of hot tea, thanks." story →	59
16	口	kǒuㄎㄡˇ	people in a household; also mouthfuls, wells, and pigs 人 rén family member 井 jǐng well 锅鍋 guō pot	忙了一会儿后，林可终于能喝一口水。忙了一會兒後，林可終於能喝一口水。Máng le yíhuìr hòu, Lín Kě zhōngyú néng hē yì kǒu shuǐ.After being busy for a while, Lin Ke finally had a sip of water. story →	48
17	座	zuòㄗㄨㄛˋ	large, fixed things: mountains, bridges, buildings, statues 山 shān mountain 桥橋 qiáo bridge 城市 chéngshì city	他家门口有两座大山。他家門口有兩座大山。Tā jiā ménkǒu yǒu liǎng zuò dà shān.In front of his house there were two big mountains. story →	43
18	把	bǎㄅㄚˇ	things with a handle: knives, umbrellas, chairs; also a handful 椅子 yǐzi chair 伞傘 sǎn umbrella 刀 dāo knife	她又说：“路上可能下雨，你最好带一把伞。”她又說：“路上可能下雨，你最好帶一把傘。”Tā yòu shuō: “Lùshang kěnéng xiàyǔ, nǐ zuìhǎo dài yì bǎ sǎn.”Then she added, "It might rain on the way. You'd better bring an umbrella." story →	35
19	场場	chǎngㄔㄤˇ	events and performances: games, shows, rain, exams 比赛比賽 bǐsài match 雨 yǔ rain 电影電影 diànyǐng movie	小明和小华在同一个班，参加了同一场数学考试。小明和小華在同一個班，參加了同一場數學考試。Xiǎomíng hé Xiǎo Huá zài tóngyī gè bān, cānjiā le tóngyī chǎng shùxué kǎoshì.Xiao Ming and Xiao Hua are in the same class and took the same math test. story →	31
20	封	fēngㄈㄥ	letters and sealed things: mail, telegrams 信 xìn letter 电子邮件電子郵件 diànzǐyóujiàn email	于是他立刻写了第二封邮件。於是他立刻寫了第二封郵件。Yúshì tā lìkè xiěle dì'èr fēng yóujiàn.So he immediately writes a second email. story →	31
21	声聲	shēngㄕㄥ	sounds and cries	米饭轻轻地叫了一声，很友好。米飯輕輕地叫了一聲，很友好。Mǐfàn qīngqīngde jiào le yì shēng, hěn yǒuhǎo.Mifan gives a soft, friendly bark. story →	31
22	名	míngㄇㄧㄥˊ	people with a role or rank: students, doctors, athletes 学生學生 xuésheng student 医生醫生 yīshēng doctor 运动员運動員 yùndòngyuán athlete	小林是一名高中生。Xiǎo Lín shì yì míng gāozhōngshēng.Xiao Lin is a high school student. story →	28
23	颗顆	kēㄎㄜ	small, round things: pearls, teeth, stars, bullets, hearts 星星 xīngxing star 心 xīn heart 牙 yá tooth	从前，有个人要卖一颗珍珠。從前，有個人要賣一顆珍珠。Cóngqián, yǒu gè rén yào mài yì kē zhēnzhū.Long ago, a man wanted to sell a pearl. story →	27
24	根	gēnㄍㄣ	long, thin, stiff things: sticks, needles, hair, bananas 香蕉 xiāngjiāo banana 筷子 kuàizi chopsticks 头发頭髮 tóufa hair	老奶奶说：“我要把它磨成一根针。”老奶奶說：“我要把它磨成一根針。”Lǎonǎinai shuō: “Wǒyào bǎ tā mó chéng yì gēn zhēn.”The old woman said, "I am going to grind it into a needle." story →	25
25	棵	kēㄎㄜ	plants and trees 树樹 shù tree 草 cǎo grass 白菜 báicài Chinese cabbage	你的能力是一块石头，还是一棵树？你的能力是一塊石頭，還是一棵樹？Nǐde nénglì shì yí kuài shítou, háishi yì kē shù?Is your ability a stone, or a tree? story →	25
26	页頁	yèㄧㄝˋ	pages 纸紙 zhǐ paper	今天多读一页书，明天多走几步路，谁会注意呢？今天多讀一頁書，明天多走幾步路，誰會注意呢？Jīntiān duō dú yí yè shū, míngtiān duō zǒu jǐ bù lù, shéi huì zhùyì ne?Read one extra page today, walk a few extra steps tomorrow. Who would even notice? story →	22
27	份	fènㄈㄣˋ	portions and copies: newspapers, documents, servings 报纸報紙 bàozhǐ newspaper 工作 gōngzuò job 礼物禮物 lǐwù gift	阿荣喜欢这份工作，因为他可以帮助很多人。阿榮喜歡這份工作，因為他可以幫助很多人。Ā Róng xǐhuan zhè fèn gōngzuò, yīnwèi tā kěyǐ bāngzhù hěnduō rén.Ā Róng likes this job because he can help many people. story →	18
28	片	piànㄆㄧㄢˋ	thin slices and stretches: bread, leaves, tablets, land 面包麵包 miànbāo bread 叶子葉子 yèzi leaf 药片藥片 yàopiàn tablet	店员拿了一盒药：“这个一天三次，一次两片。”店員拿了一盒藥：“這個一天三次，一次兩片。”Diànyuán ná le yì hé yào: “Zhè ge yìtiān sān cì, yí cì liǎng piàn.”The clerk took out a box: "This one, three times a day, two tablets each time." story →	18
29	双雙	shuāngㄕㄨㄤ	pairs of matching things: shoes, chopsticks, hands, eyes 鞋 xié shoe 手 shǒu hand 筷子 kuàizi chopsticks	到了店里，他找到一双好鞋。到了店裡，他找到一雙好鞋。Dào le diàn lǐ, tā zhǎodào yì shuāng hǎo xié.At the shop, he found a nice pair of shoes. story →	16
30	部	bùㄅㄨˋ	films, novels, and machines or vehicles 电影電影 diànyǐng movie 手机手機 shǒujī phone 小说小說 xiǎoshuō novel	“孩子，答应我，把这部史书写完。”“孩子，答應我，把這部史書寫完。”“Háizi, dāying wǒ, bǎ zhè bù shǐshū xiěwán.”"My child, promise me: finish this history." story →	15

Two notes on the count. 点 ranks high because it also tells the time (七点 “seven o’clock”) and makes 一点 “a little”. 碗 is boosted by a story series set in a noodle shop. Just outside the top 30: 台 tái, 朵 duǒ, 辆 liàng, 间 jiān, 道 dào, 段 duàn, 分 fēn, 首 shǒu, 顿 dùn, 匹 pǐ.

All 144 Chinese measure words

Search by character, pinyin (with or without tones) or English, for example flat, animal or tiao. Searching for a noun such as 书 finds the measure words listed for it. Tap a measure word to hear it.

Measure word	Reading	What it counts · example nouns · story example	Uses
个個	gèㄍㄜˋ	the general-purpose measure word: people and most things 人 rén person 朋友 péngyou friend 问题問題 wèntí question 苹果蘋果 píngguǒ apple 家里有一个大箱子。家裡有一個大箱子。There was a big box in the house. story →	2,232#1
点點	diǎnㄉㄧㄢˇ	small amounts and points: suggestions, ideas; also o'clock 意见意見 yìjiàn opinion 建议建議 jiànyì suggestion 要求 yāoqiú request 我得七点起床。我得七點起床。I had to get up at seven. story →	549#2
次	cìㄘˋ	times or occurrences of an action or event 机会機會 jīhuì opportunity 考试考試 kǎoshì exam 旅行 lǚxíng trip 乐乐听一次，就不会忘。樂樂聽一次，就不會忘。Lele hears something once and never forgets. story →	311#3
位	wèiㄨㄟˋ	people, politely 老师老師 lǎoshī teacher 客人 kèrén guest 先生 xiānsheng gentleman 朋友 péngyou friend 陈明是一位外卖员。陳明是一位外賣員。Chen Ming is a delivery driver. story →	182#4
只隻	zhīㄓ	animals and birds; one of a pair (a shoe, a hand) 猫貓 māo cat 鸟鳥 niǎo bird 鸡雞 jī chicken 手 shǒu hand 一只青蛙住在井里。一隻青蛙住在井裡。A frog lived in a well. story →	172#5
块塊	kuàiㄎㄨㄞˋ	pieces, lumps, and chunks: soap, cake, land; also yuan 钱錢 qián money 蛋糕 dàngāo cake 石头石頭 shítou stone 手表手錶 shǒubiǎo wristwatch 司机说：“三十块左右。”司機說：“三十塊左右。”The driver said, "Around thirty yuan." story →	158#6
条條	tiáoㄊㄧㄠˊ	long, thin, flexible things: rivers, roads, fish, pants, news items 路 lù road 鱼魚 yú fish 河 hé river 裤子褲子 kùzi pants “老板，这条围巾多少钱？”“老闆，這條圍巾多少錢？”"Boss, how much is this scarf?" story →	125#7
家	jiāㄐㄧㄚ	businesses and households: shops, restaurants, companies 公司 gōngsī company 商店 shāngdiàn store 饭店飯店 fàndiàn restaurant 医院醫院 yīyuàn hospital 他走进一家药店。他走進一家藥店。He walked into a pharmacy. story →	113#8
碗	wǎnㄨㄢˇ	bowls of something 饭飯 fàn meal 汤湯 tāng soup 面 miàn noodles “好，来两碗牛肉面，再来一个青菜。”“好，來兩碗牛肉麵，再來一個青菜。”"Great. Two bowls of beef noodles, and a plate of greens." story →	110#9
件	jiànㄐㄧㄢˋ	items of clothing (tops), matters, and pieces of luggage 衣服 yīfu clothes 事 shì matter 礼物禮物 lǐwù gift 行李 xíngli luggage 万一山上很冷怎么办？再带一件厚衣服。萬一山上很冷怎麼辦？再帶一件厚衣服。What if it's cold up the mountain? Add a thick jacket. story →	96#10
句	jùㄐㄩˋ	sentences and lines of speech 话話 huà words 成语成語 chéngyǔ idiom 小婷想学一句英文。小婷想學一句英文。Xiaoting wants to learn one sentence of English. story →	96#11
张張	zhāngㄓㄤ	flat things: paper, tickets, tables, beds, photos 桌子 zhuōzi table 纸紙 zhǐ paper 票 piào ticket 照片 zhàopiàn photo “这张照片是我在上海拍的。”“這張照片是我在上海拍的。”"I took this photo in Shanghai." story →	82#12
种種	zhǒngㄓㄨㄥˇ	kinds, types, and sorts 东西東西 dōngxi thing 水果 shuǐguǒ fruit 方法 fāngfǎ method 语言語言 yǔyán language 鹤是一种大鸟，腿很长。鶴是一種大鳥，腿很長。A crane is a big bird with very long legs. story →	72#13
本	běnㄅㄣˇ	books and other bound things: notebooks, magazines, dictionaries 书書 shū book 词典詞典 cídiǎn dictionary 杂志雜誌 zázhì magazine 护照護照 hùzhào passport 这本书说，世界上有两种工作。這本書說，世界上有兩種工作。The book says there are two kinds of work in the world. story →	62#14
杯	bēiㄅㄟ	cups and glasses of a drink 茶 chá tea 咖啡 kāfēi coffee 水 shuǐ water 酒 jiǔ alcohol “要喝什么？”“两杯热茶，谢谢。”“要喝什麼？”“兩杯熱茶，謝謝。”"Anything to drink?" "Two cups of hot tea, thanks." story →	59#15
口	kǒuㄎㄡˇ	people in a household; also mouthfuls, wells, and pigs 人 rén family member 井 jǐng well 锅鍋 guō pot 忙了一会儿后，林可终于能喝一口水。忙了一會兒後，林可終於能喝一口水。After being busy for a while, Lin Ke finally had a sip of water. story →	48#16
座	zuòㄗㄨㄛˋ	large, fixed things: mountains, bridges, buildings, statues 山 shān mountain 桥橋 qiáo bridge 城市 chéngshì city 大楼大樓 dàlóu building 他家门口有两座大山。他家門口有兩座大山。In front of his house there were two big mountains. story →	43#17
把	bǎㄅㄚˇ	things with a handle: knives, umbrellas, chairs; also a handful 椅子 yǐzi chair 伞傘 sǎn umbrella 刀 dāo knife 钥匙鑰匙 yàoshi key 她又说：“路上可能下雨，你最好带一把伞。”她又說：“路上可能下雨，你最好帶一把傘。”Then she added, "It might rain on the way. You'd better bring an umbrella." story →	35#18
场場	chǎngㄔㄤˇ	events and performances: games, shows, rain, exams 比赛比賽 bǐsài match 雨 yǔ rain 电影電影 diànyǐng movie 病 bìng illness 小明和小华在同一个班，参加了同一场数学考试。小明和小華在同一個班，參加了同一場數學考試。Xiao Ming and Xiao Hua are in the same class and took the same math test. story →	31#19
封	fēngㄈㄥ	letters and sealed things: mail, telegrams 信 xìn letter 电子邮件電子郵件 diànzǐyóujiàn email 于是他立刻写了第二封邮件。於是他立刻寫了第二封郵件。So he immediately writes a second email. story →	31#20
声聲	shēngㄕㄥ	sounds and cries 米饭轻轻地叫了一声，很友好。米飯輕輕地叫了一聲，很友好。Mifan gives a soft, friendly bark. story →	31#21
名	míngㄇㄧㄥˊ	people with a role or rank: students, doctors, athletes 学生學生 xuésheng student 医生醫生 yīshēng doctor 运动员運動員 yùndòngyuán athlete 工人 gōngrén worker 小林是一名高中生。Xiao Lin is a high school student. story →	28#22
颗顆	kēㄎㄜ	small, round things: pearls, teeth, stars, bullets, hearts 星星 xīngxing star 心 xīn heart 牙 yá tooth 糖 táng candy 从前，有个人要卖一颗珍珠。從前，有個人要賣一顆珍珠。Long ago, a man wanted to sell a pearl. story →	27#23
根	gēnㄍㄣ	long, thin, stiff things: sticks, needles, hair, bananas 香蕉 xiāngjiāo banana 筷子 kuàizi chopsticks 头发頭髮 tóufa hair 针針 zhēn needle 老奶奶说：“我要把它磨成一根针。”老奶奶說：“我要把它磨成一根針。”The old woman said, "I am going to grind it into a needle." story →	25#24
棵	kēㄎㄜ	plants and trees 树樹 shù tree 草 cǎo grass 白菜 báicài Chinese cabbage 你的能力是一块石头，还是一棵树？你的能力是一塊石頭，還是一棵樹？Is your ability a stone, or a tree? story →	25#25
页頁	yèㄧㄝˋ	pages 纸紙 zhǐ paper 今天多读一页书，明天多走几步路，谁会注意呢？今天多讀一頁書，明天多走幾步路，誰會注意呢？Read one extra page today, walk a few extra steps tomorrow. Who would even notice? story →	22#26
份	fènㄈㄣˋ	portions and copies: newspapers, documents, servings 报纸報紙 bàozhǐ newspaper 工作 gōngzuò job 礼物禮物 lǐwù gift 早餐 zǎocān breakfast 阿荣喜欢这份工作，因为他可以帮助很多人。阿榮喜歡這份工作，因為他可以幫助很多人。Ā Róng likes this job because he can help many people. story →	18#27
片	piànㄆㄧㄢˋ	thin slices and stretches: bread, leaves, tablets, land 面包麵包 miànbāo bread 叶子葉子 yèzi leaf 药片藥片 yàopiàn tablet 森林 sēnlín forest 店员拿了一盒药：“这个一天三次，一次两片。”店員拿了一盒藥：“這個一天三次，一次兩片。”The clerk took out a box: "This one, three times a day, two tablets each time." story →	18#28
双雙	shuāngㄕㄨㄤ	pairs of matching things: shoes, chopsticks, hands, eyes 鞋 xié shoe 手 shǒu hand 筷子 kuàizi chopsticks 袜子襪子 wàzi socks 到了店里，他找到一双好鞋。到了店裡，他找到一雙好鞋。At the shop, he found a nice pair of shoes. story →	16#29
部	bùㄅㄨˋ	films, novels, and machines or vehicles 电影電影 diànyǐng movie 手机手機 shǒujī phone 小说小說 xiǎoshuō novel 电视剧電視劇 diànshìjù TV series “孩子，答应我，把这部史书写完。”“孩子，答應我，把這部史書寫完。”"My child, promise me: finish this history." story →	15#30
台	táiㄊㄞˊ	machines and appliances: computers, TVs; also performances 电脑電腦 diànnǎo computer 电视電視 diànshì TV 机器機器 jīqì machine 洗衣机洗衣機 xǐyījī washing machine	14#31
朵	duǒㄉㄨㄛˇ	flowers and clouds 花 huā flower 云雲 yún cloud 女人种下它，开出一朵花，女人種下它，開出一朵花，The woman planted it, and it grew into a flower, story →	13#32
辆輛	liàngㄌㄧㄤˋ	vehicles: cars, bikes, buses, trains 车車 chē car 自行车自行車 zìxíngchē bicycle 公交车公交車 gōngjiāochē bus 出租车出租車 chūzūchē taxi 他在路边叫了一辆出租车。他在路邊叫了一輛出租車。He hailed a taxi at the roadside. story →	13#33
间間	jiānㄐㄧㄢ	rooms 房间房間 fángjiān room 教室 jiàoshì classroom 屋子 wūzi room 厨房廚房 chúfáng kitchen “我们家的老房子里，有三间卧室，排成一排。”“我們家的老房子裡，有三間臥室，排成一排。”"In our old house there are three bedrooms, all in a row." story →	12#34
道	dàoㄉㄠˋ	long, line-like things (rivers, scars, rainbows); also questions and dishes 菜 cài dish 题題 tí question (on a test) 光 guāng light 神在天上放了一道美丽的彩虹。神在天上放了一道美麗的彩虹。God set a beautiful rainbow in the sky. story →	10#35
段	duànㄉㄨㄢˋ	sections and stretches: time, road, text, a relationship 时间時間 shíjiān time 路 lù road 话話 huà words 经历經歷 jīnglì experience 朋友问：“小约翰，你准备好录你的那段了吗？”朋友問：“小約翰，你準備好錄你的那段了嗎？”His friend asked, "Ready to record your verse, Lil Jon?" story →	10#36
分	fēnㄈㄣ	points, minutes, and cents; a small share 钱錢 qián money	10#37
首	shǒuㄕㄡˇ	poems and songs 歌 gē song 诗詩 shī poem 小鸟不怕，唱了一首歌。小鳥不怕，唱了一首歌。The bird wasn't afraid and sang a song. story →	10#38
顿頓	dùnㄉㄨㄣˋ	meals; also scoldings 饭飯 fàn meal 午饭午飯 wǔfàn lunch 晚饭晚飯 wǎnfàn dinner	8#39
匹	pǐㄆㄧ	horses and mules; also bolts of cloth 马馬 mǎ horse 狼 láng wolf 布 bù cloth 他养了一匹马。他養了一匹馬。He owned a horse. story →	8#40
群	qúnㄑㄩㄣˊ	groups, crowds, and flocks 人 rén person 鸟鳥 niǎo bird 羊 yáng sheep 学生學生 xuésheng student 很久以前，在中国有一群朋友一起喝酒聊天。很久以前，在中國有一群朋友一起喝酒聊天。A long time ago, in China, there was a group of friends drinking and chatting together. story →	8#41
样樣	yàngㄧㄤˋ	kinds and varieties 菜 cài dish 东西東西 dōngxi thing 助手帮他洗菜、切菜，他检查每样东西。助手幫他洗菜、切菜，他檢查每樣東西。His assistant helps wash and chop vegetables, and he checks everything. story →	8#42
滴	dīㄉㄧ	drops of liquid 水 shuǐ water 眼泪眼淚 yǎnlèi tears 血 xuè blood 汗 hàn sweat 接下来的四五天，他一滴水也没有喝，人和马都快要死了。接下來的四五天，他一滴水也沒有喝，人和馬都快要死了。For the next four or five days he drank not a single drop, and both man and horse were close to death. story →	7#43
盒	héㄏㄜˊ	boxes of something: chocolates, matches 巧克力 qiǎokèlì chocolate 火柴 huǒchái match 茶叶茶葉 cháyè tea leaves 店员拿了一盒药：“这个一天三次，一次两片。”店員拿了一盒藥：“這個一天三次，一次兩片。”The clerk took out a box: "This one, three times a day, two tablets each time." story →	7#44
笔筆	bǐㄅㄧˇ	sums of money and deals; also strokes of writing 钱錢 qián money 生意 shēngyì business 交易 jiāoyì deal	6#45
层層	céngㄘㄥˊ	layers and floors of a building 楼樓 lóu building 皮 pí skin 更上一层楼。更上一層樓。climb one more story higher. story →	6#46
串	chuànㄔㄨㄢˋ	strings and bunches: kebabs, keys, beads, grapes 钥匙鑰匙 yàoshi key 葡萄 pútao grape 他在桌子上看见十五串铜钱，高兴极了。他在桌子上看見十五串銅錢，高興極了。On the table he saw the fifteen strings of copper coins, and his heart leapt. story →	6#47
对對	duìㄉㄨㄟˋ	pairs and couples: earrings, lovers, wings 夫妇夫婦 fūfù married couple 耳环耳環 ěrhuán earring 情侣情侶 qínglǚ couple 从前，有一对好朋友叫凯和格尔达。從前，有一對好朋友叫凱和格爾達。Once upon a time, there was a pair of good friends named Kai and Gerda. story →	6#48
篇	piānㄆㄧㄢ	written pieces: essays, articles, papers 文章 wénzhāng article 作文 zuòwén essay 报告報告 bàogào report 日记日記 rìjì diary	6#49
瓶	píngㄆㄧㄥˊ	bottles of something 水 shuǐ water 牛奶 niúnǎi milk 酒 jiǔ alcohol 啤酒 píjiǔ beer 万一饿了怎么办？带面包、水果，还有三瓶水。萬一餓了怎麼辦？帶麵包、水果，還有三瓶水。What if I get hungry? Pack bread, fruit, and three bottles of water. story →	6#50
盏盞	zhǎnㄓㄢˇ	lamps and small cups of tea or wine 灯燈 dēng lamp 茶 chá tea	6#51
支	zhīㄓ	stick-like things: pens, cigarettes; also songs and troops 笔筆 bǐ pen 歌 gē song 烟煙 yān cigarette 军队軍隊 jūnduì army 一天，皇帝对郑和说：“我要建一支世界上最大的船队，我要你带着它，去看看大海的那一边。”一天，皇帝對鄭和說：“我要建一支世界上最大的船隊，我要你帶著它，去看看大海的那一邊。”One day, the emperor said to Zheng He: "I am going to build the greatest fleet in the world, and I want you to take it and see what lies beyond the sea." story →	6#52
顶頂	dǐngㄉㄧㄥˇ	things with a top: hats, caps, tents, umbrellas 帽子 màozi hat 帐篷帳篷 zhàngpeng tent	5#53
枚	méiㄇㄟˊ	small, flat items: coins, medals, stamps, badges 硬币硬幣 yìngbì coin 邮票郵票 yóupiào stamp 金牌 jīnpái gold medal 戒指 jièzhi ring	5#54
幅	fúㄈㄨˊ	paintings, pictures, maps, and widths of cloth 画畫 huà painting 照片 zhàopiàn photo 地图地圖 dìtú map 今天他想画一幅早晨的风景。今天他想畫一幅早晨的風景。Today, he wants to paint a picture of the morning scenery. story →	4#55
壶壺	húㄏㄨˊ	pots and kettles of a drink 茶 chá tea 酒 jiǔ alcohol 水 shuǐ water 谁先画好，谁就喝一壶好酒。誰先畫好，誰就喝一壺好酒。Whoever finished first would drink a pot of good wine. story →	4#56
粒	lìㄌㄧˋ	tiny grains and pellets: rice, sand, pills, buttons 米 mǐ rice 沙子 shāzi sand 种子種子 zhǒngzi seed 药藥 yào medicine 仙女送给她一粒神奇的大麦。仙女送給她一粒神奇的大麥。and a fairy gave her a magical barley grain. story →	4#57
路	lùㄌㄨˋ	bus and tram routes; also kinds of people 公交车公交車 gōngjiāochē bus	4#58
秒	miǎoㄇㄧㄠˇ	seconds	4#59
盘盤	pánㄆㄢˊ	plates and dishes of food; also games of chess and reels 菜 cài dish 棋 qí chess 水果 shuǐguǒ fruit 可是菜来了，是一盘鸡肉。可是菜來了，是一盤雞肉。But when the food arrived, it was a plate of chicken. story →	4#60
头頭	tóuㄊㄡˊ	livestock: cattle, pigs, sheep; also garlic bulbs 牛 niú cow 羊 yáng sheep 猪豬 zhū pig 大象 dàxiàng elephant 现在他们知道了：有二十二万多头大象！現在他們知道了：有二十二萬多頭大象！Now they know: there are more than 220,000 elephants! story →	4#61
阵陣	zhènㄓㄣˋ	bursts and spells: wind, rain, applause, pain 风風 fēng wind 雨 yǔ rain 掌声掌聲 zhǎngshēng applause 笑声笑聲 xiàoshēng laughter 华医生被一阵敲门声吵醒了。華醫生被一陣敲門聲吵醒了。Dr. Hua was woken by a burst of knocking at the door. story →	4#62
户戶	hùㄏㄨˋ	households 人家 rénjiā household 家庭 jiātíng family 有三户人家要修水管，还有一家要装灯。有三戶人家要修水管，還有一家要裝燈。Three families need pipe repairs, and one needs a light installed. story →	3#63
节節	jiéㄐㄧㄝˊ	segments: class periods, train cars, batteries, bamboo joints 课課 kè class 电池電池 diànchí battery 车厢車廂 chēxiāng train car 八点，第一节课开始。八點，第一節課開始。At eight, the first class begins. story →	3#64
门門	ménㄇㄣˊ	school subjects, courses, and skills; also cannons 课課 kè class 外语外語 wàiyǔ foreign language 专业專業 zhuānyè major (subject)	3#65
艘	sōuㄙㄠ	ships and boats 船 chuán boat 轮船輪船 lúnchuán ship 军舰軍艦 jūnjiàn warship 当最后一艘船沉到江中心，大家明白，退路没了，只能向前。當最後一艘船沉到江中心，大家明白，退路沒了，只能向前。When the last boat sank to the center of the river, everyone understood that there was no retreat, only to move forward. story →	3#66
包	bāoㄅㄠ	packs and bags of something: cigarettes, rice, candy 烟煙 yān cigarette 纸巾紙巾 zhǐjīn tissue 茶叶茶葉 cháyè tea leaves	2#67
袋	dàiㄉㄞˋ	bags and sacks of something 米 mǐ rice 面粉麵粉 miànfěn flour 水泥 shuǐní cement	2#68
股	gǔㄍㄨˇ	strands and gusts: rope, smoke, wind, smells; also shares of stock 香味 xiāngwèi smell 力量 lìliang strength 热气熱氣 rèqì steam 香肠蛋芝士、培根蛋芝士，甚至在夏威夷推出午餐肉版，每一款都延续了原作那股甜咸融合的魔力。香腸蛋芝士、培根蛋芝士，甚至在夏威夷推出午餐肉版，每一款都延續了原作那股甜鹹融合的魔力。Sausage, egg, and cheese; bacon, egg, and cheese; and even a Spam version in Hawaii, each continuing the original's magic of sweet and savory fusion. story →	2#69
列	lièㄌㄧㄝˋ	trains; also rows and columns 火车火車 huǒchē train 一列小火车拉着满满的车厢，要翻过高高的山。一列小火車拉著滿滿的車廂，要翻過高高的山。A little train was pulling cars packed full, heading over the tall mountain. story →	2#70
项項	xiàngㄒㄧㄤˋ	items in a list: projects, rules, tasks 工作 gōngzuò job 任务任務 rènwu task 计划計劃 jìhuà plan 活动活動 huódòng activity 为此，团队采用了一项新专利工艺，将枫糖风味的糖晶直接注入松饼，使每一口都锁住枫糖的甘醇，不会溢出或烧焦。為此，團隊採用了一項新專利工藝，將楓糖風味的糖晶直接注入鬆餅，使每一口都鎖住楓糖的甘醇，不會溢出或燒焦。To achieve this, the team adopted a new patented process, injecting maple-flavored sugar crystals directly into the pancakes, ensuring each bite locked in the sweetness of maple without spilling or burning. story →	2#71
枝	zhīㄓ	branches and stick-shaped things: flowers on stems, pens, rifles 花 huā flower 笔筆 bǐ pen 枪槍 qiāng gun 春来发几枝。春來發幾枝。when spring comes, how many branches sprout? story →	2#72
组組	zǔㄗㄨˇ	groups and sets 生词生詞 shēngcí new word 电池電池 diànchí battery 照片 zhàopiàn photo	2#73
班	bānㄅㄢ	scheduled transport: flights, buses, trains; also classes and shifts 火车火車 huǒchē train 公共汽车公共汽車 gōnggòngqìchē bus 班机班機 bānjī scheduled flight “我马上点了灯，一直坐着，再也不敢睡。天还没亮，我就去坐第一班火车来了。”“我馬上點了燈，一直坐著，再也不敢睡。天還沒亮，我就去坐第一班火車來了。”"I lit the lamp at once and sat up, not daring to sleep again. Before it was light, I went and took the first train here." story →	1#74
床	chuángㄔㄨㄤˊ	quilts, blankets, and bedding 被子 bèizi quilt 毯子 tǎnzi blanket 她往床板上放了一粒豌豆，然后搬来二十层厚厚的床垫和二十床羽绒被，让女孩睡在上面。她往床板上放了一粒豌豆，然後搬來二十層厚厚的床墊和二十床羽絨被，讓女孩睡在上面。She placed a pea on the bedboard, then brought twenty thick mattresses and twenty down quilts, and let the girl sleep on top. story →	1#75
栋棟	dòngㄉㄨㄥˋ	buildings 房子 fángzi house 楼樓 lóu building	1#76
堆	duīㄉㄨㄟ	piles and heaps 垃圾 lājī trash 衣服 yīfu clothes 村姑“倒地”，只剩下一堆白骨。The village girl collapsed, leaving only a pile of bones. story →	1#77
队隊	duìㄉㄨㄟˋ	teams and lines of people 士兵 shìbīng soldier 孙子把女人们分成两队，让大王最喜欢的两位当队长。孫子把女人們分成兩隊，讓大王最喜歡的兩位當隊長。Sunzi divided the women into two teams and made the king's two favorites the team leaders. story →	1#78
发發	fāㄈㄚ	rounds of ammunition: bullets, shells 子弹子彈 zǐdàn bullet 炮弹炮彈 pàodàn artillery shell	1#79
架	jiàㄐㄧㄚˋ	things on a frame or stand: airplanes, pianos, cameras 飞机飛機 fēijī airplane 钢琴鋼琴 gāngqín piano 照相机照相機 zhàoxiàngjī camera 它走着走着，忽然发现路边有一架葡萄藤。牠走著走著，忽然發現路邊有一架葡萄藤。As it was walking, it suddenly discovered a grapevine by the roadside. story →	1#80
面	miànㄇㄧㄢˋ	flat surfaces: mirrors, flags, walls, drums 镜子鏡子 jìngzi mirror 旗子 qízi flag 墙牆 qiáng wall 鼓 gǔ drum	1#81
幕	mùㄇㄨˋ	acts of a play 戏戲 xì play	1#82
泡	pāoㄆㄠ	soft heaps and puddles, mostly of droppings 尿 niào urine	1#83
扇	shànㄕㄢˋ	doors, windows, and screens 门門 mén door 窗户窗戶 chuānghu window	1#84
所	suǒㄙㄨㄛˇ	buildings and institutions: schools, hospitals, houses 学校學校 xuéxiào school 医院醫院 yīyuàn hospital 大学大學 dàxué university 房子 fángzi house 孔子做了一件以前没有人做过的事：他开了一所学校，谁都可以来学习。孔子做了一件以前沒有人做過的事：他開了一所學校，誰都可以來學習。Confucius did something no one had done before: he opened a school where anyone could come and learn. story →	1#85
趟	tàngㄊㄤˋ	trips and runs: going to a place and back 火车火車 huǒchē train	1#86
套	tàoㄊㄠˋ	sets and suites: furniture, apartments, clothing, textbooks 房子 fángzi house 西装西裝 xīzhuāng suit 家具 jiājù furniture	1#87
则則	zéㄗㄜˊ	short written items: news items, fables, rules 新闻新聞 xīnwén news 消息 xiāoxi news 寓言 yùyán fable 甚至，他们曾在一则引起轰动的广告中直言不讳地呼吁“别买这件夹克！”，旨在促使人们反思过度消费，共同守护地球。甚至，他們曾在一則引起轟動的廣告中直言不諱地呼籲“別買這件夾克！”，旨在促使人們反思過度消費，共同守護地球。They even once bluntly called out in a sensational advertisement: 'Don't buy this jacket!', aiming to prompt people to reflect on excessive consumption and jointly protect the Earth. story →	1#88
瓣	bànㄅㄢˋ	petals, segments of fruit, and cloves of garlic 橘子 júzi tangerine 蒜 suàn garlic	—
柄	bǐngㄅㄧㄥˇ	things with a handle: knives, axes, umbrellas 斧头斧頭 fǔtóu ax 剑劍 jiàn sword	—
波	bōㄅㄛ	waves and surges: people, attacks, heat 攻击攻擊 gōngjī attack 游客遊客 yóukè tourist	—
餐	cānㄘㄢ	meals 饭飯 fàn meal	—
册冊	cèㄘㄜˋ	volumes of a book or set 书書 shū book	—
出齣	chūㄔㄨ	plays and operas 戏戲 xì play 京剧京劇 Jīngjù Beijing opera 喜剧喜劇 xǐjù comedy	—
处處	chùㄔㄨˋ	places and spots: scenic sites, wounds, mistakes 地方 dìfāng place 伤口傷口 shāngkǒu wound 风景風景 fēngjǐng scenery	—
簇	cùㄘㄨˋ	clusters: flowers, people 花 huā flower	—
撮	cuōㄘㄨㄛˋ	pinches of something: salt, hair, dirt 盐鹽 yán salt 胡子鬍子 húzi beard 土 tǔ dirt	—
打	dáㄉㄚˊ	dozens 鸡蛋雞蛋 jīdàn egg	—
沓	dáㄉㄚˊ	piles and stacks of paper 纸紙 zhǐ paper 钞票鈔票 chāopiào paper money	—
档檔	dàngㄉㄤˇ	matters and items; also stalls and shelves 节目節目 jiémù show	—
堵	dǔㄉㄨˇ	walls 墙牆 qiáng wall	—
番	fānㄈㄢ	occurrences and kinds, often of effort or scenery 话話 huà words 努力 nǔlì effort	—
方	fāngㄈㄤ	square things: seals, handkerchiefs, inkstones 印章 yìnzhāng seal 手帕 shǒupà handkerchief	—
峰	fēngㄈㄥ	camels 骆驼駱駝 luòtuo camel	—
副	fùㄈㄨˋ	sets and pairs: glasses, gloves, playing cards; also facial expressions 眼镜眼鏡 yǎnjìng glasses 手套 shǒutào glove 扑克撲克 pūkè playing cards	—
服	fùㄈㄨˋ	doses of traditional Chinese medicine 药藥 yào medicine	—
杆桿	gǎnㄍㄢˇ	long thin things with a shaft: rifles, scales, flags 枪槍 qiāng gun 秤 chēng scale	—
缸	gāngㄍㄤ	vats, jars, and tanks of something 水 shuǐ water 金鱼金魚 jīnyú goldfish 酒 jiǔ alcohol	—
管	guǎnㄍㄨㄢˇ	tubes: toothpaste, flutes, pens 牙膏 yágāo toothpaste 笛子 dízi flute	—
罐	guànㄍㄨㄢˋ	cans and jars of something 啤酒 píjiǔ beer 茶叶茶葉 cháyè tea leaves	—
行	hángㄏㄤˊ	rows and lines of text or trees 字 zì character 诗句詩句 shījù verse	—
回	huíㄏㄨㄟˊ	occurrences; also chapters of a classic novel 事 shì matter	—
记記	jìㄐㄧˋ	slaps and punches 耳光 ěrguāng slap	—
集	jíㄐㄧˊ	episodes of a series; volumes of a collection 电视剧電視劇 diànshìjù TV series	—
届屆	jièㄐㄧㄝˋ	editions of a recurring event: graduating classes, Olympics, elections 奥运会奧運會 àoyùnhuì Olympic Games 会议會議 huìyì meeting 毕业生畢業生 bìyèshēng graduate	—
具	jùㄐㄩˋ	bodies and corpses; also some machines and coffins 尸体屍體 shītǐ body 棺材 guāncai coffin	—
局	júㄐㄩˊ	games and rounds: chess, sports, poker 棋 qí chess 麻将麻將 májiàng mahjong	—
孔	kǒngㄎㄨㄥˇ	openings and arches: caves, bridge arches 窑洞窯洞 yáodòng cave dwelling	—
领領	lǐngㄌㄧㄥˇ	mats and long robes 席子 xízi mat 凉席涼席 liángxí summer sleeping mat	—
绺綹	liǔㄌㄧㄡˇ	locks and tufts of hair or thread 头发頭髮 tóufa hair 胡须鬍鬚 húxū beard	—
轮輪	lúnㄌㄨㄣˊ	rounds of a competition or talks; also the moon 明月 míngyuè bright moon 比赛比賽 bǐsài match	—
缕縷	lǚㄌㄩˇ	wisps and strands: smoke, light, hair 烟煙 yān smoke 阳光陽光 yángguāng sunshine 头发頭髮 tóufa hair	—
盆	pénㄆㄣˊ	basins and pots: flowers, water, dishes 花 huā flower 水 shuǐ water	—
期	qīㄑㄧˊ	issues of a periodical; also stages and courses 杂志雜誌 zázhì magazine 报纸報紙 bàozhǐ newspaper	—
起	qǐㄑㄧˇ	cases and incidents: accidents, crimes; also batches of people 事故 shìgù accident 车祸車禍 chēhuò traffic accident 案件 ànjiàn case	—
曲	qǔㄑㄩˇ	songs and tunes 歌 gē song	—
身	shēnㄕㄣ	outfits, a whole set of clothes; also a layer of mud or sweat 衣服 yīfu clothes 汗 hàn sweat	—
束	shùㄕㄨˋ	bunches and bundles: flowers, light beams 花 huā flower 光 guāng light	—
丝絲	sīㄙ	threads and fine strands; a trace of something 风風 fēng wind 微笑 wēixiào smile 希望 xīwàng hope	—
堂	tángㄊㄤˊ	class periods and lessons 课課 kè class	—
帖	tiēㄊㄧㄝˇ	doses of traditional Chinese medicine 药藥 yào medicine 膏药膏藥 gāoyao medicated plaster	—
桶	tǒngㄊㄨㄥˇ	buckets and barrels of something 水 shuǐ water 油 yóu oil 啤酒 píjiǔ beer	—
通	tōngㄊㄨㄥ	phone calls and telegrams 电话電話 diànhuà phone call	—
味	wèiㄨㄟˋ	ingredients in a traditional medicine recipe 药藥 yào medicine	—
尾	wěiㄨㄟˇ	fish 鱼魚 yú fish	—
席	xíㄒㄧˊ	banquets and seats; also a stretch of talk 话話 huà words 宴会宴會 yànhuì banquet	—
叶葉	yèㄧㄝˋ	small boats 扁舟 piānzhōu small boat	—
扎紮	zāㄗㄚ	bundles and bunches: flowers, firewood 钞票鈔票 chāopiào paper money	—
纸紙	zhǐㄓˇ	documents and sheets of writing: contracts, letters 合同 hétong contract 公文 gōngwén official document	—
株	zhūㄓㄨ	plants and trees, counted by the trunk 树樹 shù tree 草 cǎo grass 水稻 shuǐdào rice plant	—
幢	zhuàngㄔㄨㄤˊ	buildings 房子 fángzi house 大楼大樓 dàlóu building 别墅別墅 biéshù villa	—
桩樁	zhuāngㄓㄨㄤ	matters and affairs 事 shì matter 婚姻 hūnyīn marriage	—
宗	zōngㄗㄨㄥ	items of business, sums of money, or batches of goods 交易 jiāoyì deal 案件 ànjiàn case 货物貨物 huòwù goods	—
尊	zūnㄗㄨㄣ	statues, especially of Buddha; also cannons 雕像 diāoxiàng statue 佛像 fóxiàng Buddha statue	—

“Uses” is how many times the word appears as a measure word in 958 Mandarin stories in the Literate Chinese catalog (November 2026), with its rank; — means it did not come up. Of the 370 noun pairs shown, 270 are listed in the Literate Chinese dictionary (which builds on CC-CEDICT); our editors added the other 100 where the dictionary had no common example.

Can you just use 个 for everything?

In speech, mostly yes, and you’ll be understood. 个 is correct for people (三个人), for abstract nouns (一个问题 “a question”, 一个想法 “an idea”), and for many everyday objects, and native speakers use it more loosely in casual talk than textbooks admit.

Where it stands out is the high-frequency pairs. 一个书 or 一个猫 will be understood but always sounds like a learner, because native speakers have heard 一本书 and 一只猫 thousands of times. The practical rule: use 个 as your fallback, and learn the pairs in the top-30 table as whole chunks (一本书, 一条鱼, 一张纸), not as rules. In reading it matters even less: the measure word is a strong hint about the noun that follows, so 一条… already tells you to expect something long and thin.

Do Mainland China and Taiwan use different measure words?

The system is the same and almost every pairing is shared; the script differs (个/個, 张/張, 条/條). A few everyday nouns take a different measure word by habit. These are the pairs we have checked while editing the Taiwan versions of our stories:

Counting	Mainland	Taiwan	Note
a dog	一条狗 / 一只狗	一隻狗	Taiwan counts dogs with 隻 (the traditional form of 只); 一條狗 reads as Mainland, mostly northern, speech, so the Taiwan editions of our stories use 隻.
a phone	一部手机 / 一台手机 / 一个手机	一支手機 / 一隻手機	Taiwan counts phones with zhī. Our Taiwan reviewer wrote 一隻新手機; 支 is the other common spelling of the same word.
two eggs	两个鸡蛋	兩顆雞蛋	Taiwan prefers 顆 for eggs; Mainland speech usually says 个 (颗 is heard there too). Confirmed by our Taiwan reviewer.
a car / scooter	一辆车	一台車 / 一台機車	Taiwan speech uses 台 broadly for vehicles and machines; 輛 is the written standard on both sides.
28 (dollars/yuan)	二十八块 (块 + 毛 in speech)	二十八塊 / 二十八元	Both say 块 for the main unit. Mainland speech also counts 毛 (tenths); Taiwan prices are whole numbers, so 毛 and 半 do not come up. Confirmed by our Taiwan reviewer.

None of these cause misunderstandings; they mark where you learned. In the Literate Chinese app every story can be read in Mainland or Taiwan Mandarin, in Simplified or Traditional characters, so you meet the pairs of the variety you are studying.

How to learn Chinese measure words

Learn the noun and its measure word together, as one phrase: 一本书, 一辆车. The shape logic helps you guess (张 flat, 条 long, 颗 small and round), but the pairs themselves stick through repetition, which reading supplies for free. The Literate Chinese app shows a noun’s measure word on its flashcard, so 书 is reviewed together with 本. For the grammar around this (这/那, 几, dropping the noun), see the grammar point Number + 个 + Noun, and for the essay version of this page with the reasoning behind the ranking, read Chinese measure words: the 25 you actually need first.

Free reading practiceGraded stories with tap-for-pinyin; every example above comes from one. FlashcardsSpaced-repetition decks that show each noun’s measure word. Chinese grammar guideThe sentence patterns, from basic word order up.

Chinese measure words FAQ

What is a measure word in Chinese?

A measure word (量词 liàngcí), also called a classifier, is the word that has to sit between a number or a word like 这 “this” and a noun: 三本书 sān běn shū “three books”, 这只猫 zhè zhī māo “this cat”. English does this only for some nouns (“two cups of tea”); Chinese does it for all of them.

How many measure words are there in Chinese?

Dictionaries list somewhere between 120 and 150 in everyday use, and longer academic lists run to several hundred. This page has the 144 that the Literate Chinese dictionary assigns to nouns. Usage is very concentrated: in our 958 Mandarin stories the 10 most frequent measure words make up 79% of all measure-word uses, and 个 alone makes up 44%.

What is the most common Chinese measure word?

个 gè, by far: 2,232 of the 5,101 measure-word uses we counted (44%). It is correct for people, for most abstract nouns, and as a spoken fallback when you don’t know the specific one.

Is it 两 or 二 before a measure word?

两 liǎng. Before a measure word “two” is always 两: 两个人, 两杯茶. 二 èr is for counting, numbers like 十二 and 二十, and ordinals like 第二.

Do Taiwan and Mainland China use the same measure words?

Almost always. A handful of everyday nouns take a different one by habit, for example dogs (Mainland 条 or 只, Taiwan 隻) and phones (Mainland 部 or 台, Taiwan 支). The table in the Mainland vs Taiwan section lists the pairs we have checked.

Can I download this list?

Yes. The CSV has all 144 measure words with simplified and traditional forms, pinyin, zhuyin, what each counts, example nouns, our corpus count, and a story sentence where we have one. For a PDF, use Print / PDF.

Sources: measure words, readings and noun pairs from the Literate Chinese dictionary (noun pairs build on CC-CEDICT, with editor additions); usage counts and example sentences from 958 Mandarin stories in the Literate Chinese catalog, measured 2026-11-04. Examples are only taken from stories that are free to read on this site.