1. 个 (gè) — General, most common
• 一个人 (yí gè rén) – one person
• 一个苹果 (yí gè píngguǒ) – one apple
⸻
2. 本 (běn) — For books, notebooks
• 一本书 (yì běn shū) – one book
• 三本杂志 (sān běn zázhì) – three magazines
⸻
3. 张 (zhāng) — For flat things: paper, tickets, tables
• 一张桌子 (yì zhāng zhuōzi) – one table
• 两张票 (liǎng zhāng piào) – two tickets
⸻
4. 条 (tiáo) — Long, narrow things: pants, rivers, fish
• 一条裤子 (yì tiáo kùzi) – a pair of pants
• 一条鱼 (yì tiáo yú) – a fish
⸻
5. 只 (zhī) — For animals, one of a pair, body parts
• 一只狗 (yì zhī gǒu) – one dog
• 一只眼睛 (yì zhī yǎnjing) – one eye
⸻
6. 双 (shuāng) — Pairs
• 一双鞋 (yì shuāng xié) – a pair of shoes
• 一双筷子 (yì shuāng kuàizi) – a pair of chopsticks
⸻
7. 件 (jiàn) — Clothing, events, matters
• 一件衣服 (yí jiàn yīfu) – one piece of clothing
• 一件事 (yí jiàn shì) – a matter/thing
⸻
8. 把 (bǎ) — Graspable things with handles (umbrella, chair, knife)
• 一把椅子 (yì bǎ yǐzi) – a chair
• 一把刀 (yì bǎ dāo) – a knife
⸻
9. 杯 (bēi) — Cups, glasses
• 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ) – a glass of water
• 两杯咖啡 (liǎng bēi kāfēi) – two cups of coffee
⸻
10. 瓶 (píng) — Bottles
• 一瓶可乐 (yì píng kělè) – a bottle of cola
• 三瓶水 (sān píng shuǐ) – three bottles of water
⸻
11. 份 (fèn) — Portions, servings, copies
• 一份报纸 (yí fèn bàozhǐ) – one copy of a newspaper
• 一份饭 (yí fèn fàn) – one portion of food
⸻
12. 台 (tái) — Machines (TV, computer)
• 一台电视 (yì tái diànshì) – one TV
• 一台电脑 (yì tái diànnǎo) – one computer
⸻
13. 辆 (liàng) — Vehicles
• 一辆车 (yí liàng chē) – one car
• 三辆自行车 (sān liàng zìxíngchē) – three bicycles
⸻
14. 位 (wèi) — Polite measure word for people
• 一位老师 (yí wèi lǎoshī) – a teacher (respectful)
• 两位客人 (liǎng wèi kèren) – two guests
⸻
15. 种 (zhǒng) — Types/kinds
• 一种水果 (yì zhǒng shuǐguǒ) – a kind of fruit
• 两种语言 (liǎng zhǒng yǔyán) – two languages
⸻
16. 首 (shǒu) — Songs, poems
• 一首歌 (yì shǒu gē) – one song
• 一首诗 (yì shǒu shī) – one poem
⸻
17. 棵 (kē) — Trees, plants
• 一棵树 (yì kē shù) – one tree
• 一棵草 (yì kē cǎo) – a blade of grass
⸻
18. 座 (zuò) — Buildings, mountains
• 一座山 (yí zuò shān) – one mountain
• 一座桥 (yí zuò qiáo) – one bridge
⸻
19. 匹 (pǐ) — Horses
• 一匹马 (yì pǐ mǎ) – one horse
⸻
20. 颗 (kē) — Small round things (pearls, stars, teeth, hearts)
• 一颗牙 (yì kē yá) – a tooth
• 一颗星 (yì kē xīng) – a star