Number-Measure Phrases
A number-measure phrase puts a measure word between a number and a noun, because Chinese cannot join them directly. Pattern: number + measure word + noun, such as 个, 本, 杯 and 件 in 三本书.
Pattern: Number + Measure Word + Noun
Common HSK 1 measure words:
- 个 (gè) — people, generic objects
- 本 (běn) — books
- 杯 (bēi) — cups/glasses
- 张 (zhāng) — flat things (paper, tickets, tables)
- 岁 (suì) — years of age
- 块 (kuài) — money (yuan)
- 件 (jiàn) — clothing items
❌ 三书 (wrong — no measure word)
✅ 三本书 (correct: three books)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我有两本书。 | Wǒ yǒu liǎng běn shū. | I have two books. | 两 + 本 (measure for books) + 书 |
| 请给我一杯水。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ. | Please give me a cup of water. | 一 + 杯 (measure for cups) + 水 |
| 她有三个好朋友。 | Tā yǒu sān gè hǎo péng yǒu. | She has three good friends. | 三 + 个 (generic measure) + 朋友 |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
个 (gè)
The all-purpose measure word, used for people and many objects.
Structure: Number + 个 + Noun
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我有两个姐姐。 | Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè jiě jie. | I have two older sisters. |
| 教室里有十个学生。 | Jiào shì lǐ yǒu shí gè xué sheng. | There are ten students in the classroom. |
| 请给我一个苹果。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yí gè píng guǒ. | Please give me an apple. |
Not: 我有三个书。 Books take their own measure word 本: 我有三本书。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, measure words (名量词).
本 (běn)
The measure word for books and bound things.
Structure: Number + 本 + Noun
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我买了一本词典。 | Wǒ mǎi le yì běn cí diǎn. | I bought a dictionary. |
| 桌子上有三本书。 | Zhuō zi shàng yǒu sān běn shū. | There are three books on the table. |
| 他每个月看两本小说。 | Tā měi gè yuè kàn liǎng běn xiǎo shuō. | He reads two novels a month. |
Not: 我有一个书。 Use 本 for books: 我有一本书。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, pronouns (指示代词).
本 is also explained in: Formal Demonstrative Pronouns: 本 and 此 (HSK 6).
杯 (bēi)
The measure word for a cup or glass of a drink.
Structure: Number + 杯 + Drink
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他每天喝三杯水。 | Tā měi tiān hē sān bēi shuǐ. | He drinks three glasses of water a day. |
| 桌子上有一杯牛奶。 | Zhuō zi shàng yǒu yì bēi niú nǎi. | There is a glass of milk on the table. |
| 你要几杯茶？ | Nǐ yào jǐ bēi chá? | How many cups of tea do you want? |
Not: 我喝了三水。 A number cannot go straight before the noun: 我喝了三杯水。
杯 is also explained in: Container measures: 瓶/盒/袋/杯 (HSK 4).
件 (jiàn)
The measure word for clothes on the upper body, and for matters.
Structure: Number + 件 + Clothing / 事
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我买了两件毛衣。 | Wǒ mǎi le liǎng jiàn máo yī. | I bought two sweaters. |
| 他有三件白衬衫。 | Tā yǒu sān jiàn bái chèn shān. | He has three white shirts. |
| 这件事很重要。 | Zhè jiàn shì hěn zhòng yào. | This matter is very important. |
Not: 我有三个衣服。 Clothes take 件: 我有三件衣服。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, measure words (名量词).
件 is also explained in: Classifiers: 层、封、件、条、位 and Action Measures (HSK 2).
What this opens up
These patterns list Number-Measure Phrases among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
- Classifiers
- Large Numbers
- New Classifiers
- Ordinals and Room/Bus Numbers
- Time Expressions as Adverbials
Questions about Number-Measure Phrases
What does 数量短语 (Number-Measure Phrases) mean in Chinese?
A number-measure phrase puts a measure word between a number and a noun, because Chinese cannot join them directly. Pattern: number + measure word + noun, such as 个, 本, 杯 and 件 in 三本书. It is an HSK 1 grammar point.
How do you use 数量短语 (Number-Measure Phrases) in a sentence?
我有两本书。 — Wǒ yǒu liǎng běn shū. — I have two books. 两 + 本 (measure for books) + 书.
Where does 数量短语 (Number-Measure Phrases) come in the HSK sequence?
HSK 1, and none of its prerequisites are grammar points — nothing else on this reference has to come first, so you can start here.
What does 数量短语 (Number-Measure Phrases) lead to?
Classifiers (HSK 2), Large Numbers (HSK 2), New Classifiers (HSK 3), Ordinals and Room/Bus Numbers (HSK 2), Time Expressions as Adverbials (HSK 1). Each of them names 数量短语 (Number-Measure Phrases) among its own prerequisites.
Why do I say 两个 and not 二个 in Chinese?
Before a measure word, the number two is 两, not 二: 两个人。 二 is used when counting or inside bigger numbers like 十二个。
Can I just use 个 for everything?
People will understand you, and 个 is correct for many things. But books need 本, cups need 杯, and clothes need 件, so learn those early.
Number-Measure Phrases is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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