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HSK 2.0 Level 1+ HSK 3.0 Level 1+ 6 min read

本, 家, 口, 件, 只 and 杯: Measure Words Beyond 个

Count books with 本, shops with 家, family members with 口, clothes with 件, animals with 只, pieces with 块, money with 元, and drinks with the borrowed measure word 杯.

Pattern

number / 这 / 那 / 几 + measure word + noun

Many nouns have their own measure word: 一本书, 一家店, 一件衣服, 一只猫; a container such as 杯 can also count what is inside it: 一杯水.

我家有四口人，还有一只猫。

When to use 本, 家, 口, 件, 只 and 杯: Measure Words Beyond 个

Between a number (or 这, 那, 几) and a noun, Chinese needs a measure word. 个 is the all-purpose one, but many everyday nouns have their own: 本 for books and notebooks, 家 for shops, restaurants and companies, 口 for counting the people in a family, 件 for clothes and for matters (事), 只 for animals, 块 for pieces, and 元 for yuan in writing. A container can also work as a measure word: 杯 comes from 杯子 (cup), so 一杯水 is “a glass of water.”

我买了两本书。

I bought two books.

我家有三口人。

There are three people in my family.

这件衣服很漂亮。

This piece of clothing is very pretty.

请给我一杯茶。

Please give me a cup of tea.

Common traps

  • Use 口 only when counting the people in a family; a class or group uses 个.
  • 杯子 is the cup itself (一个杯子); 杯 counts the drink (一杯水).
  • Don’t put the number right before the noun: 两本书, not 两书.

Targeted drill

Practice this exact pattern before moving on.

我们学校旁边有一 书店

There is a bookshop next to our school
Fill in the missing piece, then press Enter

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