Measures Words
把/bǎ
For objects that are grasped or have handles
Used with: 椅子 yǐzi chair 牙刷 yáshuā toothbrush 叉子 chāzi fork 刀子 dāozi knife 吉他 jítā guitar (loanword) 钥匙 yàoshi key 雨伞 yǔsǎn umbrella
班/bān
For scheduled buses, trains, planes, boats
Used with: 船 chuán boat or ship 飞机 fēijī airplane 火车 huǒchē train
班/bān
class (of)
Used with: 学生 xuésheng student
包/bāo
packet (of)
Used with: 卫生纸 wèishēngzhǐ toilet paper 红茶 hóngchá black tea 盐 yán salt 洗衣粉 xǐyīfěn laundry detergent
杯/bēi
cup (of), glass (of)
Used with: 水 shuǐ water 茶 chá tea 酒 jiǔ wine 咖啡 kāfēi coffee 果汁 guǒzhī fruit juice
本/běn
For volume of, books
Used with: 书 shū book 笔记本 bǐjìběn notebook 杂志 zázhì magazine
笔/bǐ
For sum of, money
Used with: 钱 qián money 学费 xuéfèi tuition fee 罚款 fákuǎn fine (monetary) or penalty
部/bù
For movies
Used with: 电影 diànyǐng movie
场/chǎng
For showing, performance
Used with: 电影 diànyǐng movie 京剧 Jīngjù Beijing opera 戏剧 xìjù drama or play
场/chǎng
For showers
Used with: 雨 yǔ rain 雪 xuě snow
尺/chǐ
foot (of)
Used with: 布 bù cloth
次/cì
For occasions or events
Used with: 考试 kǎoshì to take an exam or exam 郊游 jiāoyóu to go for an outing or excursion 比赛 bǐsài competition (sports etc)
道/dào
For meal courses
Used with: 菜 cài dish (type of food)
顶/dǐng
For hats
Used with: 帽子 màozi hat or cap
栋/dòng
For whole buildings
Used with: 楼 lóu house with more than 1 story 公寓 gōngyù apartment building 房子 fángzi house or apartment
段/duàn
For section of, paragraph, period of time
Used with: 路 lù road 时间 shíjiān time or period
对/duì
For pair
Used with: 夫妻 fūqī husband and wife or married couple
顿/dùn
For meals
Used with: 饭 fàn food,cooked rice or meal
朵/duǒ
For things in cluster
Used with: 花 huā flower 云 yún cloud
份/fèn
For jobs, newspapers
Used with: 报纸 bàozhǐ newspaper 工作 gōngzuò to work, job or work
封/fēng
For letters
Used with: 信 xìn letter
副/fù
For pair of
Used with: 眼镜 yǎnjìng eyeglasses
个/gè
General measure word
Used with: 人 rén man / person / people 问题 wèntí question / problem / issue / topic 西瓜 xīguā watermelon 苹果 píngguǒ apple
根/gēn
For short,straigh, stick-like objects
Used with: 头发 tóufa hair (on the head) 油条 yóutiáo youtiao (deep-fried breadstick) 吸管 xīguǎn (drinking) straw 香蕉 xiāngjiāo banana 香烟 xiāngyān cigarette / smoke from burning incense
罐/guàn
Can of
Used with: 汽水 qìshuǐ soda / pop 可乐 kělè amusing / entertaining / (loanword) cola
盒/hé
Small box of
Used with: 饼干 bǐnggān biscuit / cracker / cookie 糖果 tángguǒ candy 面巾 miànjīn face towe 纸 zhǐ paper 盒饭 héfàn box meal
家/jiā
For shops and businesses
Used with: 商店 shāngdiàn store or shop 公司 gōngsī (business) company 银行 yínháng bank 医院 yīyuàn hospital
架/jià
For airplanes, pianos
Used with: 飞机 fēijī airplane 钢琴 gāngqín piano
间/jiān
For rooms
Used with: 屋子 wūzi house / room 教室 jiàoshì classroom
句/jù
For sentences
Used with: 话 huà dialect, speech, talk, words & conversation
卷/juǎn
For things in rolls
Used with: 胶卷 jiāojuǎn film / roll of film 磁带 cídài magnetic tape 录像带 lùxiàngdài video cassette
颗/kē
For small round things
Used with: 牙 yá tooth 心 xīn heart 扣子 kòuzi button
课/kè
For lesson
棵/kē
For trees and plants
Used with: 树 shù tree
口/kǒu
For people or mouthful
Used with: family members, well of water
块/kuài
For piece of, lump of, solid objects
Used with: 肉 ròu meat 糖 táng sugar, sweets and candy 地毯 dìtǎn carpet / rug 蛋糕 dàngāo cake 地 dì ground and land 香皂 xiāngzào soap
辆/liàng
For vehicles
Used with: 车 chē car 自行车 zìxíngchē bicycle 卡车 kǎchē truck 摩托车 mótuōchē motorcycle
门/mén
For fields of study
Used with: 课 kè course
排/pái
For row of, line of
Used with: 椅子 yǐzi chair 学生 xuésheng student
盘/pán
For dish, plate of, reel/spool of
Used with: 菜 cài dish (type of food) 磁带 cídài magnetic tape 录像带 lùxiàngdài video cassette
盆/pén
For bowl of, basin of
Used with: 花 huā flower 水 shuǐ water
匹/pǐ
For horses
Used with: 马 mǎ horse
片/piàn
For thin slice of
Used with: 面包 miànbāo bread 西瓜 xīguā watermelon
瓶/píng
Bottle of
Used with: 酒 jiǔ wine / liquor / alcoholic beverage 可乐 kělè (loanword) cola 酱油 jiàngyóu soy sauce 番茄酱 fānqiéjiàng ketchup / tomato sauce
艘/sōu
For ocean-going ships
Used with: 船 chuán boat / vessel / ship
首/shǒu
For songs, poems
Used with: 歌 gē song
双/shuāng
For pair of (identical objects which function together) not for trousers or glasses
Used with: 筷子 kuàizi chopsticks 袜子 wàzi socks 鞋子 xiézi shoe 手 shǒu hand 拖鞋 tuōxié slippers / sandals / flip-flops
所/suǒ
For institutions
Used with: 学校 xuéxiào school 大学 dàxué university
台/tái
For electrical equipment, machines
Used with: 电视 diànshì television 录音机 lùyīnjī tape recorder 电脑 diànnǎo computer 冰箱 bīngxiāng refrigerator
堂/táng
For class period
Used for: 课 kè subject, course, class or lesson
趟/tàng
For round trips
Used with: 旅行 lǚxíng to travel, journey or trip
套/tào
For set of
Used for: 家具 jiājù furniture 衣 服 yīfu clothes 书 shū book 公寓 gōngyù apartment building
条/tiáo
For things long, narrow and winding
Used with: 路 lù road 街 jiē street 河 hé river 鱼 yú fish 裤子 kùzi trousers / pants 毛巾 máojīn towel 船 chuán boat or ship
头/tóu
For ox, 牛, 猪
Used with: 牛 niú cow or bull 猪 zhū pig
碗/wǎn
For bowl of
Used for: 饭 fàn food 汤 tāng soup
位/wèi
polite measure word for person
Used with: 先生 xiānsheng Mister (Mr.) 老师 lǎoshī teacher 客人 kèrén visitor or guest 母亲 mǔqīn mother
箱/xiāng
For crate, large box
Used with: 水果 shuǐguǒ fruit
样/yàng
Kind of, sort of, type of
Used with: 菜 cài dish (type of food) 水果 shuǐguǒ fruit
张/zhāng
For flat, sheet-like things
Used with: 纸 zhǐ paper 邮票 yóupiào (postage) stamp 桌子 zhuōzi table or desk 车票 chēpiào ticket 表 biǎoa form 卡片 kǎpiàn card 支票 zhīpiào check (bank) 地图 dìtú map 门票 ménpiào ticket 床 chuáng bed
支/zhī
For slender, straight and stiff things
Used with: 笔 bǐ pen / pencil / writing brush 粉笔 fěnbǐ chalk 毛笔 máobǐ pen, pencil or writing brush
只/zhī
For animals
Used with: 狗 gǒu dog 鸟 niǎo bird 猫 māo cat 鸭子 yāzi duck 鸡 jī fowl
种/zhǒng
Kind (of), sort (of), type (of)
Used with: 人 rén man, person or people 酒 jiǔ wine
座/zuò
For mountain, city, bridge, etc.
Used with: 山 shān mountain 桥 qiáo bridge 城 chéng city 庙 miào temple