HSK 1
名量词：杯、本、个、家、间、口、块、页
míng liàng cí ： bēi 、 běn 、 gè 、 jiā 、 jiān 、 kǒu 、 kuài 、 yè
Common noun measure words: 杯, 本, 个, 家, 间, 口, 块, 页
Explanation
Noun measure words (nominal measure words) are words placed between a number and a noun to indicate the unit of the thing. In Chinese, you almost NEVER say "number + noun" directly; you must insert a measure word in between (just like Vietnamese: "ba quyển sách", not "ba sách").
Number + Measure word + Noun (e.g. 三本书 sān běn shū = three books). Each type of thing goes with its own measure word: - 杯 (bēi): a cup/glass of a drink (一杯水 a glass of water). - 本 (běn): books, notebooks (bound volumes). - 个 (gè): the all-purpose measure word, used for people and many things that lack a specialized measure word. - 家 (jiā): shops, companies, enterprises. - 间 (jiān): rooms, spaces of a house. - 口 (kǒu): used to count the number of people in a family (五口人 a family of five). - 块 (kuài): a piece/chunk (of cake, soap...); it is also the colloquial monetary unit = 元 (yuán), e.g. 五块钱 (five yuan). - 页 (yè): a page (of a book, paper).
Whenever you count or state the quantity of a noun.
Forgetting the measure word (wrong: 三书) or mistakenly using 个 for everything. You should memorize the accompanying measure word right when you learn a new noun.
Examples
two cups of milk, three books, four students, five shops, six houses, three people (in a family), seven pieces of bread
Learn “名量词：杯、本、个、家、间、口、块、页” effectively
The grammar point “名量词：杯、本、个、家、间、口、块、页” (Common noun measure words: 杯, 本, 个, 家, 间, 口, 块, 页) is one of the key structures at HSK 1. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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