Difference between revisions of "Measure word "ge""

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* 一 <em>个</em> 球 <span class="pinyin">Yī <em>gè </em> qiú</span><span class="trans">one ball</span>
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* 一 <em>个</em> 球 <span class="pinyin">Yī <em>gè</em> qiú</span><span class="trans">one ball</span>
* 两 <em>个</em> 人  <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> rén</span><span class="trans">two people</span>
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* 两 <em>个</em> 人  <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> rén</span><span class="trans">two people</span>
* 三 <em>个</em> 苹果 <span class="pinyin">Sān <em>gè </em> píngguǒ</span><span class="trans">three apples</span>
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* 三 <em>个</em> 苹果 <span class="pinyin">Sān <em>gè</em> píngguǒ</span><span class="trans">three apples</span>
* 四 <em>个</em> 三明治 <span class="pinyin">Sì <em>gè </em> sānmíngzhì</span><span class="trans">four sandwiches</span>
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* 四 <em>个</em> 三明治 <span class="pinyin">Sì <em>gè</em> sānmíngzhì</span><span class="trans">four sandwiches</span>
* 五 <em>个</em> 星期 <span class="pinyin">Wǔ <em>gè </em> xīngqī</span><span class="trans">five weeks</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>
* 六 <em>个</em> 杯子 <span class="pinyin">Liù <em>gè </em> bēizi</span><span class="trans">six cups/glasses</span>
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* 六 <em>个</em> 杯子 <span class="pinyin">Liù <em>gè</em> bēizi</span><span class="trans">six cups/glasses</span>
* 七 <em>个</em>  女朋友<span class="pinyin">Qī <em>gè </em> nǚ péngyǒu</span><span class="trans">seven girlfriends</span>
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* 七 <em>个</em>  女朋友<span class="pinyin">Qī <em>gè</em> nǚ péngyǒu</span><span class="trans">seven girlfriends</span>
* 八 十 <em>个</em> 小孩 <span class="pinyin">Bāshí <em>gè </em> xiǎohái</span><span class="trans">eighty children</span>
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* 八 十 <em>个</em> 小孩 <span class="pinyin">Bāshí <em>gè</em> xiǎohái</span><span class="trans">eighty children</span>
* 一 百 <em>个</em> 美 女 <span class="pinyin">Yībǎi <em>gè </em> měinǚ</span><span class="trans">one hundred beautiful girls</span>
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* 一 百 <em>个</em> 美 女 <span class="pinyin">Yībǎi <em>gè</em> měinǚ</span><span class="trans">one hundred beautiful girls</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>
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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>
  
 
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* 他 是 <em>个</em> 好人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè </em> hǎorén.</span><span class="trans">He is a good person.</span>
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* 他 是 <em>个</em> 好人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè</em> hǎorén.</span><span class="trans">He is a good person.</span>
* 那 不 是 <em>个</em> 苹果 。<span class="pinyin">Nà bùshì <em>gè </em> píngguǒ.</span><span class="trans">That is not an apple.</span>
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* 那 不 是 <em>个</em> 苹果 。<span class="pinyin">Nà bùshì <em>gè</em> píngguǒ.</span><span class="trans">That is not an apple.</span>
* 他 是 <em>个</em> 法国 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè </em> Fǎguó rén.</span><span class="trans">He is a French person.</span>
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* 他 是 <em>个</em> 法国 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè</em> Fǎguó rén.</span><span class="trans">He is a French person.</span>
* 这 是 <em>个</em> 手机。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>gè </em> shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">This is a cell phone.</span>
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* 这 是 <em>个</em> 手机。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>gè</em> shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">This is a cell phone.</span>
* 我 爸爸 是 <em>个</em> 老板。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bàba shì <em>gè </em> lǎobǎn.</span><span class="trans">My dad is a boss.</span>
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* 我 爸爸 是 <em>个</em> 老板。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bàba shì <em>gè</em> lǎobǎn.</span><span class="trans">My dad is a boss.</span>
* 你 是 <em>个</em> 好 老师 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì <em>gè </em> hǎo lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">You are a good teacher.</span>
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* 你 是 <em>个</em> 好 老师 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì <em>gè</em> hǎo lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">You are a good teacher.</span>
* 我 有 <em>个</em> 儿子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǒu <em>gè </em> érzi.</span><span class="trans">I have a son.</span>
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* 我 有 <em>个</em> 儿子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǒu <em>gè</em> érzi.</span><span class="trans">I have a son.</span>
* 给 我 <em>个</em> 面包 。<span class="pinyin">Gěi wǒ <em>gè </em> miànbāo.</span><span class="trans">Give me a bun.</span>
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* 给 我 <em>个</em> 面包 。<span class="pinyin">Gěi wǒ <em>gè</em> miànbāo.</span><span class="trans">Give me a bun.</span>
* 我 想 吃 <em>个</em> 橙子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng chī <em>gè </em> chéngzi.</span><span class="trans">I'd like to eat an orange.</span>
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* 我 想 吃 <em>个</em> 橙子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng chī <em>gè</em> chéngzi.</span><span class="trans">I'd like to eat an orange.</span>
* 老师 , 我 有 <em>个</em> 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī, wǒ yǒu <em>gè </em> wèntí.</span><span class="trans">Teacher, I have a question.</span>
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* 老师 , 我 有 <em>个</em> 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī, wǒ yǒu <em>gè</em> wèntí.</span><span class="trans">Teacher, I have a question.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:29, 15 July 2015

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.

General Structure

Structure

The general structure for 个 (gè)--and measure words in general--is:

Number + 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

  • qiúone ball
  • (If you're wondering why it's 两 and not 二,see our article on "Er" and "liang")Liǎng réntwo people
  • 苹果 Sān píngguǒthree apples
  • 三明治 sānmíngzhìfour sandwiches
  • 星期 xīngqīfive weeks
  • 杯子 Liù bēizisix cups/glasses
  • 女朋友 nǚ péngyǒuseven girlfriends
  • 八 十 小孩 Bāshí xiǎoháieighty children
  • 一 百 美 女 Yībǎi měinǚone hundred beautiful girls
  • 男人, 七 傻, 八 Shí nánrén, qī shǎ, bā huàiten 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 好人 。Tā shì hǎorén.He is a good person.
  • 那 不 是 苹果 。Nà bùshì píngguǒ.That is not an apple.
  • 他 是 法国 人 。Tā shì Fǎguó rén.He is a French person.
  • 这 是 手机。Zhè shì shǒujī.This is a cell phone.
  • 我 爸爸 是 老板。Wǒ bàba shì lǎobǎn.My dad is a boss.
  • 你 是 好 老师 。Nǐ shì hǎo lǎoshī.You are a good teacher.
  • 我 有 儿子 。Wǒ yǒu érzi.I have a son.
  • 给 我 面包 。Gěi wǒ miànbāo.Give me a bun.
  • 我 想 吃 橙子 。Wǒ xiǎng chī chéngzi.I'd like to eat an orange.
  • 老师 , 我 有 问题 。Lǎoshī, wǒ yǒu wèntí.Teacher, I have a question.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites