In Chinese, measure words are used to express the quantity of objects and must be placed before the noun with a numeral. The choice of measure word depends on the noun’s category and the speaker’s habits. Many common nouns have fixed, commonly used measure words.

When referring to “people,” the most common measure word is “个”; in formal or written language you can use “位” to express respect. For counting family members, “口” is used to indicate a family member.

Small and medium-sized animals commonly use “只” as the measure word; a pair of animals can use “一对”. Large animals commonly use “头”, and some animals have customary usage.

Many everyday items use “个” as a general measure word. Objects with specific shapes have dedicated measure words, such as “本” for books and “张” for flat objects.

Slender, elongated objects are often counted with “条”, including ropes, roads, rivers, pants, etc. Using “条” emphasizes their length or being in a strip.

Objects with handles or container-like properties are commonly counted with “把”; chairs, umbrellas, knives, and keys. “杯” is used for beverages as a unit.

“份” represents a portion of separated items or documents, such as files or meals. “片” denotes thin slices, such as a sheet of paper or a slice of bread.

“间” is used for rooms and buildings as a unit. “辆” is used for vehicles, such as cars, buses, bicycles.

“朵” is used for flowers and clouds, which are cluster-like; “颗” is used for small and round objects and can also refer to stars.

“句” is used for linguistic units, representing a sentence. “次” indicates the number of times an action or event occurs. “天” denotes a day unit.

If unsure about a measure word, you can first use ‘个’ as a general measure word, but you should prioritize remembering common collocations. In formal settings and in written language, you tend to choose more precise or more polite measure words.