Difference between revisions of "Measure word "ge""
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* 两 <em>个</em> 老婆 <span class="expl">(If you're wondering why it's 两 and not 二，see our article on [["Er" and "liang"]])</span><span class="pinyin">Liǎng <em>gè</em> lǎopó </span><span class="trans">two wives</span> | * 两 <em>个</em> 老婆 <span class="expl">(If you're wondering why it's 两 and not 二，see our article on [["Er" and "liang"]])</span><span class="pinyin">Liǎng <em>gè</em> lǎopó </span><span class="trans">two wives</span> | ||
* 三 <em>个</em> 苹果 手机 <span class="pinyin">Sān <em>gè</em> Píngguǒ shǒujī</span><span class="trans">three iPhones</span> | * 三 <em>个</em> 苹果 手机 <span class="pinyin">Sān <em>gè</em> Píngguǒ shǒujī</span><span class="trans">three iPhones</span> | ||
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* 五 <em>个</em> 星期 <span class="pinyin">Wǔ <em>gè</em> xīngqī</span><span class="trans">five weeks</span> | * 五 <em>个</em> 星期 <span class="pinyin">Wǔ <em>gè</em> xīngqī</span><span class="trans">five weeks</span> | ||
* 六 <em>个</em> 月 <span class="pinyin">Liù <em>gè</em> yuè </span><span class="trans">six months</span> | * 六 <em>个</em> 月 <span class="pinyin">Liù <em>gè</em> yuè </span><span class="trans">six months</span> | ||
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* 十 <em>个</em> 男人， 七 <em>个</em> 傻， 八 <em>个</em> 坏。<span class="pinyin">Shí <em>gè</em> nánrén, qī <em>gè</em> shǎ, bā <em>gè</em> huài.</span><span class="trans">ten men, seven are fools, and eight are bad</span> | * 十 <em>个</em> 男人， 七 <em>个</em> 傻， 八 <em>个</em> 坏。<span class="pinyin">Shí <em>gè</em> nánrén, qī <em>gè</em> shǎ, bā <em>gè</em> huài.</span><span class="trans">ten men, seven are fools, and eight are bad</span> | ||
Revision as of 08:06, 16 September 2015
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个 (gè) is the most commonly used measure word. It can be used in a pinch for any noun if you can't think of a more precise measure word. (Although you might not sound quite as smart, you'll still get your point across). Also, for many nouns, 个 (gè) is the only correct measure word.
Contents
General Structure
Structure
The general structure for 个 (gè)--and measure words in general--is:
Num. + 个 + Noun
You can specify the quantity of any noun with this structure. Note that any time you want to state how many of a noun in Chinese, you probably need a measure word. First get used to doing it with 个 (gè).
Examples
- 两 个 老婆 (If you're wondering why it's 两 and not 二，see our article on "Er" and "liang")two wives
- 三 个 苹果 手机 three iPhones
- 五 个 星期 five weeks
- 六 个 月 six months
- 十 个 男人， 七 个 傻， 八 个 坏。ten men, seven are fools, and eight are bad
Omitting the number
Structure
Verb + 个 + Noun
If the number is one (1), you can omit it and use 个 (gè) by itself. This is equivalent to a or an in English, for example in "a person" or "an idiot."
Examples
- 他 是 个 好人 。He is a good person.
- 那 不 是 个 苹果 。That is not an apple.
- 他 是 个 法国 人 。He is a French person.
- 这 是 个 手机。This is a cell phone.
- 我 爸爸 是 个 老板。My dad is a boss.
- 你 是 个 好 老师 。You are a good teacher.
- 我 有 个 儿子 。I have a son.
- 给 我 个 面包 。Give me a bun.
- 我 想 吃 个 橙子 。I'd like to eat an orange.
- 老师 ， 我 有 个 问题 。Teacher, I have a question.
See also
- Counting money
- Measure words in quantity questions
- Measure words for counting
- Measure words to differentiate
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 21-2) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 45-6) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 21) →buy
Websites
- Chinese classifier (Wikipedia)
