Difference between revisions of "Measure word "ge""

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The [[measure word]] 个 is the most common measure word. It can be used for any noun if you can't think of a more precise measure word. Also, for a lot of nouns, 个 ''is'' the correct measure word.
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{{Grammar Box}}
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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.
  
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== General structure ==
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== Counting Nouns ==
  
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The general structure for 个 (and measure words in general) is:
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=== Structure ===
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The general structure for 个 (gè) and measure words in general is:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Number + 个 + Noun
 
Number + 个 + Noun
  
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<div>
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</div>
  
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You can specify the quantity of any noun with this structure. Note that any noun with quantity must have a measure word in Chinese.
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Any time you want to state ''how many'' of a noun in Chinese, you probably need a measure word.  First get used to how they are used with 个 (gè).
  
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Some examples:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 一个人
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* 一 <em>个</em> 人 <span class="pinyin">yī <em>gè</em> rén</span><span class="trans">one person</span>
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* 两个人
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* 四 <em>个</em> 朋友 <span class="pinyin">sì <em>gè</em> péngyou</span><span class="trans">four friends</span>
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* 三个苹果
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* 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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* 一个三明治
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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>
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* 八十个诗人
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* 六 <em>个</em> 月 <span class="pinyin">liù <em>gè</em> yuè </span><span class="trans">six months</span>
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* 两 <em>个</em> 老婆<span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>gè</em>  lǎopo </span><span class="trans">two wives</span>
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* 十 <em>个</em> 男人， 七 <em>个</em> 傻， 八 <em>个</em> 坏。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">A line from a song</span><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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Omitting the number ==
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== Omitting the Number ==
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=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
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Verb + 个 + Noun
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</div>
  
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If the number is one, you can omit it. This is equivalent to ''a'' or ''an'' in English, for example in "a person" or "an idiot". This is only necessary if you want to emphasise the quantity of one. Otherwise you don't need to use a measure word at all.
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If the number is one (1), you can omit it and use 个 (gè) by itself. This is similar to "a" or "an" in English, for example in "a person" or "an idiot." (The tone on 个 (gè) is normally somewhat de-emphasized in this usage, but still written as fourth tone. You don't need to stress about it, though.)
  
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Some examples:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 他是个喜欢喝醉的人。
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* 他 是 <em>个</em> 老外。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè</em> lǎowài.</span><span class="trans">He is a foreigner.</span>
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* 这是个好吃的苹果。
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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>
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* 我是个英国绅士。
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* 她 是 <em>个</em> 好 老师。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>gè</em> hǎo lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">She is a good teacher.</span>
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* 你 想 吃 <em>个</em> 包子 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng chī <em>gè</em> bāozi ma?</span><span class="trans">Would you like to eat a stuffed steamed bun?</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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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==See also==
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* [[Counting money]]
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* [[Measure words in quantity questions]]
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* [[Measure words for counting]]
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* [[Measure words to differentiate]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|58}}
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|21-2}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|45-6}}
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|21}}
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=== Websites ===
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_classifier Chinese classifier] (Wikipedia)
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[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
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{{Basic Grammar|个|A1|Number + 个 + Noun|一 <em>个</em> 人 。|grammar point|ASGI0T9S}}
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{{Similar|Measure words in quantity questions}} 
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{{Similar|Measure words for counting}} 
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{{Similar|Measure words to differentiate}}
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{{Similar|Age with "sui"}}
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{{Similar|Ordinal numbers with "di"}}   
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{{Rel char|个}}
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{{POS|Numbers}}
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{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}

Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021

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.

Counting Nouns

Structure

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

Number + 个 + Noun

Any time you want to state how many of a noun in Chinese, you probably need a measure word. First get used to how they are used with 个 (gè).

Examples

  • 一 个 人 yī gè rénone person
  • 四 个 朋友 sì gè péngyoufour friends
  • 三 个 苹果 手机 sān gè Píngguǒ shǒujīthree iPhones
  • 五 个 星期 wǔ gè xīngqīfive weeks
  • 六 个 月 liù gè yuè six months
  • 两 个 老婆liǎng gè lǎopo two wives
  • 十 个 男人， 七 个 傻， 八 个 坏。A line from a songShí gè nánrén, qī gè shǎ, bā gè huài.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 similar to "a" or "an" in English, for example in "a person" or "an idiot." (The tone on 个 (gè) is normally somewhat de-emphasized in this usage, but still written as fourth tone. You don't need to stress about it, though.)

Examples

  • 他 是 个 老外。Tā shì gè lǎowài.He is a foreigner.
  • 我 有 个 儿子。Wǒ yǒu gè érzi.I have a son.
  • 她 是 个 好 老师。Tā shì gè hǎo lǎoshī.She is a good teacher.
  • 你 想 吃 个 包子 吗？Nǐ xiǎng chī gè bāozi ma?Would you like to eat a stuffed steamed bun?
  • 老师 ， 我 有 个 问题。Lǎoshī, wǒ yǒu gè wèntí.Teacher, I have a question.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

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