Chinese word for little

(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then / (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after / (same as 就是) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly / only; as little as / as much as; as many as / to approach; to move towards / to undertake; to engage in / (often followed by 著｜着) taking advantage of / (of food) to go with / with regard to; concerning / (pattern: 就 … 也 …) even if … still … / (pattern: 不 … 就 …) if not … then must be …

HSK 2

difference; discrepancy / (math.) difference (amount remaining after a subtraction) / (literary) a little; somewhat; slightly

HSK 3

a little bit

HSK 4

quiet; making little or no noise / surreptitious; stealthy / anxious; worried / Taiwan pr. [qiao3 qiao3]

HSK 5

a bit / a little / one dot / one point

some / a few / a little / (following an adjective) slightly …er

to get out of a predicament / to stick out / to take the initiative / remaining odd fraction after a division / a little more than

somewhat / a little

a smidgen / a little bit / a few

in a little while / in a moment / later on

a little bit

little girl who is older than another young child (e.g. her playmate) / (neologism c. 2017) (slang) young lady (amiable form of address for a young woman of about one’s own age or a little older)

somewhat / a little / slightly

slowly / unhurriedly / little by little

one or two; a few / a little; just a bit

a drip / a little bit / intravenous drip (used to administer drugs)

a few / a little / a bit

(coll.) lass / (dialect) little girl

Personal Handy-phone System (PHS), mobile network system operating in China 1998-2013, branded «Little Smart»

little brother / I, your little brother (humble)

little sister / girl / (Tw) young female employee working in a low-level role dealing with the public (assistant, waitress, attendant etc)

a little bit / slightly

little finger

little tuna / Euthynnus alletteratus

gradually / one after another / little by little

galley proof (printing) / unimpressive / (coll.) little guy (mild insult also used as an affectionate term)

little girl

little demon (term of endearment for a child) / mischievous child / imp

little imagined / scarcely realized

some / few / a little (Cantonese)

a little / a few

bit by bit / every little bit

twice / for a little while

little darling / baby

(bird species of China) little egret (Egretta garzetta)

unit of area equal to 100 畝｜亩 or 6.67 hectares / a short while / a little while ago / circa. (for approximate dates)

chicken ribs / sth of little value or interest / sth of dubious worth that one is reluctant to give up / to be physically weak

step by step / little by little

pediatrics / pediatric (department) / sth of little importance / trifle / a child’s play / (slang) childish / petty / stingy

(idiom) what lowly people think counts for little

little (dialect)

(idiom) many little things add up to sth great; many little drops make an ocean

lit. thin streams flow forever / fig. economy will get you a long way / to work steadily at something little by little

to have high standards but little ability / to be fastidious but incompetent (idiom)

little finger / pinkie

(of an official) to travel with little luggage and just a small escort / to travel without ostentation

to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)

gradually / little by little / in the course of time

lit. a thousand mile journey begins with the first step / fig. big accomplishments come from an accumulation of little achievements made one by one

operculum (Latin: little lid) / a covering flap (in various branches of anatomy)

small capital, huge profit (idiom); to put in a little and get a lot out

to work hard while accomplishing little / to toil to no avail

a moment / little while

to bid farewell / to part (usually with little hope of meeting again)

little devil

to know just a little; to have a rough idea

to emerge / to crop up / a little more than

worthy little brother

a tiny bit / very little / next to nothing (idiom)

little lamb

a short time / a little while

to do sb a favor at little cost

litter of pigs / little pig

A just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little (idiom, from Mencius)

carrying very little luggage (idiom) / honest and incorruptible (government officials)

monkey (dialect) / little monkey (affectionate term for children, subordinates)

an unjust cause finds little support (idiom, from Mencius) / cf 得道多助 a just cause attracts much support

(bird species of China) little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

a little dirt never killed anybody (proverb) / a couple of germs won’t do you any harm

if you lift the headrope the meshes spread open (idiom) / take care of the big things and the little things will take care of themselves / (of a piece of writing) well-structured and ordered

a little / a bit

lit. a person who has seen little of the world will be be astonished by certain things (idiom) / fig. to be taken aback by sth because of one’s lack of sophistication; naive; unworldy

honorable little brother

very little / very few

to get things done relying on others (idiom); with a little help from his friends

honey (endearment in addressing a little girl)

(bird species of China) little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra)

lit. little princess / fig. spoiled girl / female version of 小皇帝

(of a small business) to have very little capital and very modest profits

(bird species of China) little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

having little knowledge / not well-read

a short time / a little while

little virtue and meager abilities (idiom); I’m a humble person and not much use at anything (Song writer Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修｜欧阳修)

a short time / a little while

corn flour mixed with a little soybean flour

lit. like a little bird relying on people (idiom) / fig. cute and helpless-looking

a little bit

massage / snapped-off branch / sprig / to snap a twig (i.e. sth that requires very little effort)

to be a little bit careless; to have a moment of inattentiveness

lit. a girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood (idiom) / fig. a young woman is very different from the little girl she once was

a little bit

a short time / a little while

a short time; a little while

every little move / every single movement

little by little / bit by bit / gradually

of little value

(coll.) silly girl / little girl

good little boy (or girl)

mermaid / the Little Mermaid

Whether you are an aspiring beginner at Chinese, a seasoned traveler planning to visit China, or maybe you are looking for ways to connect with your Chinese-speaking friends, knowing the basic Chinese words and phrases can be incredibly useful. Of course, you also want to learn some survival Chinese if you work and live in China. Though you will meet some locals who can speak English, starting a conversation with them in their language will make a world of difference to your Chinese experience. 

Believe it or not, Mandarin Chinese starts out pretty easily. A few basic vocabulary words and sentence patterns will get you by in many situations. This is different from other languages such as French or German which require you to memorize chunks of grammatical technicalities – tenses, conjugations, cases, genders… before you can say even the simplest sentences.  

Whatever your reasons for learning Chinese are, we’ve got your back!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you some basic, real Chinese to help you survive in China or other Chinese-speaking countries. We chose 99 of the most essential, basic Chinese words and phrases you’ll hear and use in daily situations and put them to a vocabulary list. We’ll take you through them one by one, telling you what they mean, how they are pronounced, when you can use them, and everything else you want to know about them. We’ll also give you 10 simple, cool Chinese phrases you can use instantly to make you sound like a native speaker already.

No doubt, knowing these basic Chinese words and phrases will help you be on the firm ground even if you’re just at the very beginning of your Chinese learning journey, but before we start in with the list, there is one thing that you should know and be aware of:

The Chinese “alphabet” is not the same as the English one (it’s phonetic though). If you’re completely new to Chinese, try familiarizing yourself with Pinyin first. Pinyin is the Mandarin romanization for pronunciation. The markings above the Pinyin indicate the tone. Pinyin will help you learn how to pronounce Chinese words properly and will make reading a lot easier.

All right! Let’s get started with our list! Trust me, these words and phrases will come in handy and give you all the right tools to interact with the locals.

Editor’s note: before we dive in, if you’re looking for an online Chinese course for beginners, here’s the course we actually recommend: YoyoChinese – a course taught in plain English.

Basic Greetings in Chinese

You can’t expect to start a Chinese conversation without knowing some words and phrases for greetings. Let’s start with the most basic ones.

1. Hello/Good day 你好

Pronunciation: Nǐhǎo

You may know this phrase already. “ni hao” literally means “you good”, and is used in the sense of “wishing you are good”. It’s the most basic way to greet people in Chinese (more often to strangers and nodding acquaintances than to people one is familiar with). It’s safe to use the phrase at any time of the day.

2. Hello (on the phone) 喂

Pronunciation: Wèi

Use this particular greeting instead of “ni hao” when you answer a phone call (but never use it in other situations).

3. How are you? 你好吗？

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo ma?

“ma” is kind of like a question marker in Chinese. If “ni hao” means “you good”, then “ni hao ma?” simply means “are you good?”. To keep the conversation going, you can use this basic Chinese question after greeting.

4. Very good 很好

Pronunciation: Hěn hǎo

You can respond with this basic phrase if someone says “ni hao ma?” to you.

5. Not so good 不太好 

Pronunciation: Bú tài hǎo

Having a rough day? Then “bu tai hao” it is!

6. Morning! 早！

Pronunciation: Zǎo!

Forget about “zaoshang hao”. A simple “zao” is the most natural way people greet each other in the morning in China.

7. Good night 晚安

Pronunciation: Wǎn’ān

Chinese people don’t say “good afternoon” or “good evening” as often as one would in English, so let’s jump straight to “good night” – “wan’an”. Use it at the end of the day when you leave someone for the last time or when you go to bed.

8. Goodbye  再见

Pronunciation: Zàijiàn

No polite conversation can end without a good old goodbye or “zaijian”. Another parting phrase you’ll frequently hear in Chinese would be 拜拜 (báibái), a loanword from English (bye-bye) popular among young people.

Here’s a recap of the basic Chinese words and phrases you should know to greet people and say goodbye in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Hello/Good day	你好	Nǐhǎo
Hello (on the phone)	喂	Wèi
How are you?	你好吗？	Nǐ hǎo ma?
Very good	很好	Hěn hǎo
Not so good	不太好	Bú tài hǎo
Morning!	早！	Zǎo!
Good night	晚安	Wǎn’ān
Goodbye	再见	Zàijiàn

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases to Express Politeness

Chinese culture is built around politeness and courtesy. The basic words of politeness can go a long way. These Chinese phrases will surely come in handy during the conversation if you don’t want to offend anyone.

9. Thank you 谢谢

Pronunciation: Xièxie

If there’s a second word to know besides “ni hao”, this would be it.

10. You’re welcome 不客气

Pronunciation: Bú kèqi

Respond with this phrase when someone says “xiexie” to you. Alternatively, you can reply with 不用谢 (bú yòng xiè) – literally “no need to thank”.

11. Please (do sth) 请… 

Pronunciation: Qǐng…

You can add this in front of a request if you want to add an extra layer of politeness.

12. May I ask… 请问…

Pronunciation: Qǐng wèn…

If you need to grab someone’s attention to ask a question, such as asking for the restroom, directions, or a similar favor, start with “qing wen”, then follow it up with what you want to ask.

13. Excuse me 不好意思

Pronunciation: Bù hǎo yìsi

“bu hao yisi” literally means “embarrassed”, that is, one is embarrassed with a situation or for having caused the situation. It’s a casual way of saying “sorry” in Chinese when the situation doesn’t really warrant a “sorry”. You can use the phrase, for instance, if you bump into someone on a crowded subway or when you need to interrupt someone.

14. I’m sorry 对不起

Pronunciation: Duìbuqǐ

When apologizing for more serious inconveniences, you can use the phrase ”dui bu qi”. Hearing a foreigner attempt to apologize in your spoken tongue will add that extra layer of respect.

15. It doesn’t matter 没关系

Pronunciation: Méi guānxi

This is normally how you respond to an apology in Chinese.

16. No problem 没问题

Pronunciation: Méi wèntí

Everything works out fine? Then “mei wenti!”

Here’s a quick summary of the basic polite words and phrases in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Thank you	谢谢	Xièxie
You’re welcome	不客气	Bú kèqi
Please (do sth)	请…	Qǐng…
May I ask…	请问…	Qǐng wèn…
Excuse me	不好意思	Bù hǎo yìsi
I’m sorry	对不起	Duìbuqǐ
It doesn’t matter	没关系	Méi guānxi
No problem	没问题	Méi wèntí

Survival Chinese Words & Phrases

If you want to survive your trip to China, you’ve got to learn a few more basic words beyond the initial greeting to get you by. So, here is a list of the survival Chinese words you need to memorize right away.

17. I 我

Pronunciation: Wǒ

It’s important to know some basic Chinese pronouns. If it’s your first time hearing these words, then you should familiarize yourself with them as soon as you can. 

Chinese doesn’t differentiate between the subject (doer of the action) and object (undergoer of the action), so you can use “wo” for both “I” and “me”, for instance, “wo shi…” (I am…), “shi wo” (it’s me).

18. You 你

Pronunciation: Nǐ

“ni” refers to the singular “you” in Chinese. If you are talking to more than one person, you can use “nimen”, the plural “you” instead.

19. He/She/It 他/她/它

Pronunciation: Tā

Fun fact: while “he”, “she”, and “it” are represented by different characters, they are pronounced exactly the same in Chinese. You’ll need to rely on the context to figure out whether someone is referring to the male “ta” or female “ta” during a conversation.

(An interesting phenomenon is that Chinese people, when speaking English, often use “he” instead of “she” or the other way around by mistake, because they’ve never had to pay attention to the phonetic difference in their own language.)

20. This 这个

Pronunciation: Zhè ge

21. That 那个

Pronunciation: Nà ge

To point things out in Chinese, you can use the above two basic words (known as demonstrative pronouns). Note that people in northern China often pronounce “nà ge” as “nèi gè”. (read more on “nèi gè”)

22. Yes 是的

Pronunciation: Shì de

23. No 不是

Pronunciation: Bú shì

Technically, Chinese doesn’t have specific words that correspond directly to “yes” and “no” when used in isolation. To answer a question properly, even the simplest one, you need some basic knowledge of Chinese grammar. (read Chinese Grammar for Beginners here)

The good news is that you can get by just using “shi de” for “yes” and “bu shi” for “no”. They may not be strictly correct, and you may even find people giggling, but you’ll be understood in most situations.

24. Good/Okay 好的

Pronunciation: Hǎo de

Respond with “hao de” when you accept someone’s request, suggestion, invitation, or when they ask for a favor and you don’t mind helping. That way, you’ll sound friendly and adorable.

Just make sure you don’t use “hao de” to replace “shi de”. (if someone asks you if you are Mr. Johnson, answering with “okay” will sound silly)

25. Not Good/Not Okay 不好

Pronunciation: Bù hǎo

If you are not in the mood, simply answer with “bu hao”. As you can probably guess, “bu” is a negation word in Chinese that makes a statement negative. (read more here)

26. Maybe 有可能

Pronunciation: Yǒu kěnéng

You may also give an ambiguous answer by saying “you keneng” – literally “there’s a possibility”.

27. Now 现在

Pronunciation: Xiànzài

It’s necessary to know some basic time words in Chinese. Since there is no so-called “tense” in Chinese, people rely heavily on time words such as “now”, “yesterday”, and “tomorrow” to differentiate whether something happens in the present, past, or future.

28. Today 今天

Pronunciation: Jīntiān

29. Yesterday 昨天

Pronunciation: Zuótiān

30. Tomorrow 明天

Pronunciation: Míngtiān

31. Restroom/Toilet 厕所

Pronunciation: Cèsuǒ

There are several ways to say “restroom” in Chinese, among which “cesuo” is the most common one. If you have a problem memorizing the entire string of words to say “where is the restroom?” in Chinese, you can simply say “cesuo?” Most people will give you the same response anyway.

32. Help! 救命！

Pronunciation: Jiùmìng!

Hopefully, you won’t have to use this phrase, but it’s necessary to know in case of unknown emergencies.

Here’s a quick recap of the words and phrases you’ll need in your next Chinese survival situation.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
I	我	Wǒ
You	你	Nǐ
He/She/It	他/她/它	Tā
This	这个	Zhè ge
That	那个	Nà ge
Yes	是的	Shì de
No	不是	Bú shì
Good/Okay	好的	Hǎo de
Not good/Not okay	不好	Bù hǎo
Maybe	有可能	Yǒu kěnéng
Correct/Right	对	Duì
Now	现在	Xiànzài
Today	今天	Jīntiān
Yesterday	昨天	Zuótiān
Tomorrow	明天	Míngtiān
Restroom/Toilet	厕所	Cèsuǒ
Help!	救命！	Jiùmìng!

Basic Chinese Numbers  

The Chinese numbers, which belong to the Indo-Arabic-based decimal system, are not difficult to learn. Their construction follows rules that will allow you to memorize them easily.

Here are the basic Chinese numbers.

33. One 一

Pronunciation: Yī

34. Two 二

Pronunciation: Èr

There are actually two words that correspond to the number “2” in Chinese: “èr” and “liǎng”, and they are used for different circumstances. (find out when to use which here)

35. Three 三

Pronunciation: Sān

36. Four 四

Pronunciation: Sì

Numerology plays a vital role in Chinese lives. Locals lay great emphasis on the use of numbers which, according to their culture, may be considered lucky or unlucky.

The number “4” is a dreaded number in Chinese superstition and a very unlucky number. This is because it is almost homophonous with the Chinese word “sǐ” which means “death”. Chinese avoid numbers “4” and “14” when they choose phone numbers, room numbers, or select dates of ceremonies.

37. Five 五

Pronunciation: Wǔ

38. Six 六

Pronunciation: Liù

39. Seven 七

Pronunciation: Qī

40. Eight 八

Pronunciation: Bā 

“8” is the most favored number in China. It’s associated with wealth, luck, success, and status.

41. Nine 九

Pronunciation: Jiǔ

42. Ten 十

Pronunciation: Shí

43. One hundred 一百

Pronunciation: Yì bǎi

44. One thousand 一千

Pronunciation: Yì qiān

Once you’ve mastered the basic numbers we listed above, you’ll instantly know how to say all the other numbers. All you need is some 1st grade math. (here is how you do it)

Below is a quick rundown of the basic Chinese numbers we’ve just covered.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
One	一	Yī
Two	二	Èr
Three	三	Sān
Four	四	Sì
Five	五	Wǔ
Six	六	Liù
Seven	七	Qī
Eight	八	Bā
Nine	九	Jiǔ
Ten	十	Shí
One hundred	一百	Yì bǎi
One thousand	一千	Yì qiān

Simple Chinese Phrases for Small Talk  

Now, here are a few more simple Chinese words and phrases you’ll need to lead a conversation and keep it going.

45. Have you eaten? 吃了吗？

Pronunciation: Chī le ma?

Don’t be bewildered when locals ask you “have you eaten?” or “chi le ma?”. This is not a dinner invitation. Instead, it’s a traditional way of people greeting each other in China, which is quite common among the older generation (they love it!).

Quick note: To use this greeting, you need to have a certain degree of familiarity with the Chinese speaker, as it’s most often used between friends and neighbors. Saying this to strangers will leave them befuddled.

46. I’ve eaten 吃了

Pronunciation: Chī le

The phrase “chi le ma?” is usually just used to start a conversation (similar to how native English speakers might say “How’s it going?” or “What’s up?”), the speaker may not really care whether or not you’ve had your lunch or dinner.

But in case you encounter this question, you should know how to respond. There are two ways you can do it:

If you’ve eaten – “chi le”.

47. I haven’t eaten yet 还没吃

Pronunciation: Hái méi chī

And if you haven’t – “hai mei chi”.

48. And you? 你呢？

Pronunciation: Nǐ ne?

“ni ne?” is a simple and quick way to bounce back the question that you’ve just been asked in Chinese. This is equivalent to saying “and you?” or “what about you?” in English.

49. What’s your name? 你叫什么名字？

Pronunciation: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?

You can use this basic phrase to ask the name of the person you’re talking to in Chinese.

Just take note that in Chinese culture, only people having a close personal relationship address each other by their full name or first name. It’s okay to use the phrase to a kid, or when you are introduced to a friend of a friend, meeting peers at school, workplace, or a party, but don’t use it on formal occasions, to your client, people who are older than you, or senior in rank than you in an organization… ask their family name instead. (here is how to do it)

50. My name is… 我叫…

Pronunciation: Wǒ jiào…

An appropriate self-introduction starting with your name is the first step for people to know you. There are several ways you can do it. “wo jiao…” is the easiest one. This phrase means “I’m called…” literally. (read here to learn other ways of introducing your name)

51. Where are you from? 你是哪里人？

Pronunciation: Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?

Chinese people are always keen to know where the foreigner they are interacting with is from, so you’ll hear this all the time. Literally, the phrase means “You are where person?”.

A common variation of this question is 你是哪国人？ (Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) – literally, “You are which country person?”.

52. I’m from… 我是…人

Pronunciation: Wǒ shì … rén

This is how you can start answering this type of question. Try to learn your country‘s name in Chinese and slip it in the middle of the sentence.

For example,

• 我是意大利人。
  Wǒ shì Yìdàlì rén.
  I am from Italy.

53. Nice to meet/see you 很高兴见到你

Pronunciation: Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ

What an important phrase to learn! You can use it the first time you meet someone as well as when you meet again.

Here’s a quick summary of the simple vocabulary you need for small talk in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Have you eaten?	吃了吗？	Chī le ma?
I’ve eaten	吃了	Chī le
I haven’t eaten yet	还没吃	Hái méi chī
And you?	你呢？	Nǐ ne?
What’s your name?	你叫什么名字？	Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?
My name is…	我叫…	Wǒ jiào…
Where are you from?	你是哪里人？	Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?
I’m from…	我是…人	Wǒ shì … rén
Nice to meet/see you	很高兴见到你	Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ

Basic Chinese Phrases & Sentences to Get around

Imagine that you’re in China. What should you say when you suddenly need to ask for help? Or if you want to buy something at a local market? In this case, It’s crucial to know basic Chinese phrases and sentences so that you’ll be able to get around or cope with problems once they crop up.

We’ll start with the most basic Chinese verbs: to want (要 yào), to go (去 qù), to have (有 yǒu), to like (喜欢 xǐhuan). Basic Chinese for travelers is based on these simple verbs. Once you master the following phrases, you’ll have a good foundation for creating Chinese sentences in different circumstances.

54. Do you want (sth)… 要不要…？

Pronunciation: Yào bu yào…?

Use the phrase to ask someone whether he/she wants something.

55. I want… 我要…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yào…

This is how you can start saying what you want in Chinese. Just add the right noun at the end. You may also use this phrase to order food and drinks in a restaurant or a street stand.

For example,

• 我要这个。
  Wǒ yào zhè ge.
  I want (would like) this.

56. I don’t want (sth) 我不要…

Pronunciation: Wǒ bú yào…

This is how you say you don’t want something in Chinese.

57. I want to go to… 我要去…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yào qù…

Going somewhere? Then this phrase will come in handy when you talk to taxi drivers. Simply mention your destination at the end of the sentence.

58. Do you have (sth)… 有没有…？

Pronunciation: Yǒu méiyǒu…?

You can use this phrase to ask someone whether he/she has something. This is useful if you’re in a local market or restaurant looking for something particular.

59. I have (sth) 我有…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yǒu…

This is how you can say you have something in Chinese.

60. I don’t have (sth) 我没有…

Pronunciation: Wǒ méiyǒu…

This is how you can say you don’t have something in Chinese.

61. I like… 我喜欢…

Pronunciation: Wǒ xǐhuan…

62. I don’t like… 我不喜欢…

Pronunciation: Wǒ bù xǐhuan…

Use the basic expressions “wo xihuan…” and “wo bu xihuan” to talk about your likes and dislikes.  

63. What’s this? 这是什么？

Pronunciation: Zhè shì shénme?

You may see a lot of new things that you don’t even know what they are in China – food, signs, toys, instruments, whatever! This is the phrase to use to point and ask.

64. Where is…? …在哪儿？

Pronunciation: … zài nǎr?

You can navigate your way around China town or any place in China with this basic question. Simply say the name of the place you’re looking for at the beginning.

For instance,

• 厕所在哪儿？
  Cèsuǒ zài nǎr?
  Where is the restroom? (Literally, “Restroom is where?”)

65. How do I get to…? …怎么去？

Pronunciation: … zěnme qù?

Another useful phrase to remember for asking for directions in Chinese.

66. At what time? 什么时候？

Pronunciation: Shénme shíhou?

You can use this phrase to ask “at what time?” or “when?”. If you want to ask “what time is it?”, say 现在几点？ (xiàn zài jǐ diǎn?)

Once you’ve got the basic numbers under your belt, it’s pretty simple to learn how to tell the time in Chinese. 

67. Very pretty 很漂亮

Pronunciation: Hěn piàoliang

Chinese people love it when you compliment their country, so feel free to stroke their egos a bit with this phrase. For instance, you can say to your tour guide “Shanghai hen piaoliang” while admiring the light show on the Bund. Of you may tell a lady you are trying to impress, “Ni hen piaoliang”. Disclaimer: We make no promises about the outcome.

Below is a summary of these useful phrases and sentences to get around in China.  

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Do you want (sth)?	要不要…？	Yào bu yào…?
I want (sth)	我要…	Wǒ yào…
I don’t want (sth)	我不要…	Wǒ bú yào…
I want to go to…	我要去…	Wǒ yào qù…
Do you have (sth)?	有没有…?	Yǒu méiyǒu…?
I have (sth)	我有…	Wǒ yǒu…
I don’t have (sth)	我没有…	Wǒ méiyǒu…
I like…	我喜欢…	Wǒ xǐhuan…
I don’t like…	我不喜欢…	Wǒ bù xǐhuan…
What’s this?	这是什么？	Zhè shì shénme?
Where is…?	…在哪儿？	… zài nǎr?
How do I get to…?	…怎么去？	… zěnme qù?
At what time?	什么时候？	Shénme shíhou?
Very Pretty	很漂亮	Hěn piàoliang

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases for Shopping

Stuff the following Chinese shopping vocabulary into your pocket to gain a new cultural experience when traveling in China. Whether you are shopping for souvenirs, clothes, or food, you’ll find these basic Chinese phrases useful.

68. How much is it? 多少钱？

Pronunciation: Duōshǎo qián?

Now that you can understand the basic numbers in Chinese, you can use this phrase to ask the price of something at a shop or a street market in China.

69. Too expensive! 太贵了！

Pronunciation: Tài guì le!

Souvenirs, clothes, shoes, accessories, electronics, fruit…almost anything is up for haggling at a Chinese market. You are encouraged to bargain because you are most likely given the tourist price first. Impress the vendors with “Tai gui le!”

70. Make it cheaper! 便宜一点！

Pronunciation: Piányi yì diǎn!

Combine this phrase with the one above and you’re well on your way to becoming a fluent haggler in Chinese!

Here’s a recap of basic Chinese shopping vocabulary.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
How much is it?	多少钱？	Duōshǎo qián?
Too expensive！	太贵了！	Tài guì le!
Make it cheaper！	便宜一点！	Piányi yì diǎn!

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases for Restaurant Dining

Who doesn’t love to eat? Explore delicious Chinese food while in China – you won’t be sorry!

Before you head over to a Chinese restaurant, equip yourself with these basic words and phrases so you can order your meal like a native Chinese speaker!

71. Waiter/Waitress 服务员

Pronunciation: Fúwùyuán

The gender-neutral word “fuwuyuan” literally means “service staff”. It can refer to waiter/waitress, attendant, steward/stewardess, shop assistant, and professionals akin to those in Chinese. It’s socially acceptable to say the word loudly in a Chinese restaurant to get fuwuyuan’s attention.

72. Please bring me… 请给我…

Pronunciation: Qǐng gěi wǒ…

Ready to order? Then use this fundamental request. The phrase breaks down to “please” – “qing”, “bring” – “gei”, “me” – “wo”. Same as English!

73. Menu 菜单

Pronunciation: Càidān

Some Chinese restaurants might have English menus – 英文菜单 (Yīngwén càidān). You can always ask if they have one by combining this word with the phrase we’ve learned earlier – “you meiyou…?”:

• 有没有英文菜单？
  Yǒu méiyǒu Yīngwén càidān?
  Do you have an English menu?

74. Water 水

Pronunciation: Shuǐ

Don’t be surprised if the waiter brings you tea, hot lemon water, or plain hot water when you ask for “shui”. It is a Chinese tradition to serve beverages hot for expelling humidity from the body. If you want iced water, say 冰水 (bīng shuǐ).

75. Chopsticks 筷子

Pronunciation: Kuàizi

When in China, do as the Chinese do…

76. Fork 叉子

Pronunciation: Chāzi

Not a fan of chopsticks? No problem. Ask for “chazi” – “fork”. Another word you may want to know is 刀 (dāo) – “knife”.

77. Tasty 很好吃

Pronunciation: Hěn hǎochī

The Chinese people pride themselves on food. If you are impressed by the food, you can use this phrase to praise the waiter, the chef at a restaurant, or the cook at a street stand.

78. Check, please 买单

Pronunciation: Mǎi dān

Try saying this at the end of your meal.

Below is a summary of the basic Chinese restaurant vocabulary we’ve just covered.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Waiter/Waitress	服务员	Fúwùyuán
Please bring me…	请给我…	Qǐng gěi wǒ…
Menu	菜单	Càidān
Water	水	Shuǐ
Chopsticks	筷子	Kuàizi
Fork	叉子	Chāzi
Tasty	很好吃	Hěn hǎochī
Check, please	买单	Mǎi dān

Basic Chinese Phrases for Understanding and Clarification

The best way to improve your Mandarin Chinese skills is to get out there and make contact with native speakers. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes in the early stages of your journey.

Even if you get stuck in a situation in which you don’t know what to say, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! Use the following basic words and phrases to navigate your way around Chinese conversations. You won’t be at a loss for a response with these ready-to-go Chinese sentences.

79. Do you speak English? 你会说英文吗？

Pronunciation: Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?

If you feel like it’s time to switch to English, you’re free to clarify whether the person you’re talking to speaks English or not. Just say “Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?”, which is used for “do you speak English?”.

Bottom line: don’t expect people to speak English in China, although some do (e.g. in shops/markets for tourists). On a street level, you have a better shot with youngsters, as English is a subject vastly taught in school (their English might come out awkward and unintelligible though since most people don’t have opportunities to practice it…)

80. I don’t understand 听不懂

Pronunciation: Tīng bù dǒng

This is a good phrase to remember as you will likely need it.

Note that “ting bu dong” implies that you don’t understand a thing that the speaker says and therefore hope him/her to spare you from the conversation. You typically use this phrase to escape a confusing or uncomfortable situation.

If you actually want to get the conversation rolling, then use other phrases to encourage the speaker to repeat or explain it with simpler words. (learn what you should say instead here)

81. I don’t know 不知道

Pronunciation: Bù zhīdào

Another phrase you’ll likely hear or use. You can use it just like the way you use it in English.

82. I only speak a little Chinese 我只会说一点中文

Pronunciation: Wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén

Don’t be shy to speak Chinese. It can be intimidating trying to flex your new Chinese muscles, but the locals will surely appreciate your efforts to speak their language!

83. What does…mean? …什么意思？

Pronunciation: … shénme yìsi?

If you’re an eager learner who’s willing to ask questions, this will be the best way to get indirect Chinese lessons with a native speaker.

84. How do you say… in Chinese? …中文怎么说？

Pronunciation: … Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?

Curious learners can also use this phrase to ask someone how to say a particular object in Chinese. Like anything, use this moderately since you don’t want to annoy the person you’re with!

85. Please speak more slowly 请说慢一点

Pronunciation: Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn

If the person you’re conversing with is speaking too fast, you can ask him/her to slow down a bit using this polite request.

Here’s a rundown of the Chinese phrases you can use when you are lost during a Chinese conversation.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Do you speak English?	你会说英文吗？	Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma？
I don’t understand	听不懂	Tīng bù dǒng
I don’t know	不知道	Bù zhīdào
I only speak a little Chinese	我只会说一点中文	Wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén
What does… mean?	…什么意思？	… shénme yìsi?
How do you say…in Chinese?	…中文怎么说？	… Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?
Please speak more slowly	请说慢一点	Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn

Basic Chinese Phrases for Special Occasions

There are various phrases in Chinese used for special occasions. The following four basic phrases are perfect for you to get off on the right foot! Use them wisely.

86. I love you 我爱你

Pronunciation: Wǒ ài nǐ

This one goes without saying in just about any language, as you can imagine.

87. I miss you 我想你

Pronunciation: Wǒ xiǎng nǐ

Missing someone? Impress him/her with this phrase!

88. Happy birthday! 生日快乐！

Pronunciation: Shēngrì kuàilè!

Free free to use this phrase to express your wishes on your Chinese friend’s birthday.

89. Good luck! 祝你好运！

Pronunciation: Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn!

“zhu ni hao yun”, the basic expression of wishing someone luck in Chinese can be commonly used throughout the day in your interactions with local folks, so it’s a great Chinese phrase to pick up and stuff in your vocabulary pocket.

Here’s a chart for a quick summary.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
I love you	我爱你	Wǒ ài nǐ
I miss you	我想你	Wǒ xiǎng nǐ
Happy birthday!	生日快乐！	Shēngrì kuàilè!
Good luck!	祝你好运！	Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn!

10 Chinese Phrases to Sound Like a Local

So far, we’ve covered quite many basic Chinese words for you to get started, but let’s just look at a few more phrases that will add much more to your ability to wield the Chinese language authentically.

90. Long time no see! 好久不见！

Pronunciation: Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn!

“hao jiu bu jian” is probably the origin of the widespread greeting “long time no see”. Use it with someone you haven’t seen for a long time and it’ll win you some major points.

91. Awesome! 棒极了！

Pronunciation: Bàng jí le!

Being able to express your amazement with words like “awesome” and “cool” can go a long way toward having more natural conversations with others in Chinese. Just like in English, there are multiple ways to express this idea in Chinese. The most commonly used phrase is “bang ji le!” – literally – “extremely great!”.

92. Not bad/It’s all right 还行

Pronunciation: Hái xíng

The phrase “hai xing” literally means “passable”, but it’s stronger in its positive connotation in Chinese than it is in English. Some similar expressions to this are 还可以 (hái kěyǐ) – “quite okay”, 不错 (bú cuò) – “not wrong”. Though they might sound funny in English, these phrases are used commonly in Chinese for encouragement and praise.

93. Really? 真的吗？

Pronunciation: Zhēn de ma?

If someone tells you something surprising, you can respond with “zhen de ma?”.

94. No way! 不会吧！

Pronunciation: Bú huì ba!

Use this phrase when you hear something unbelievable! It’s like saying “no way!” in English.

95. Oh my God! 天哪！

Pronunciation: Tiān na!

Most Chinese don’t believe in god because of the traditional values of beliefs in Confucianism (which is a belief in a practice and not a god). To express astonishment in Chinese, simply say “tian na!”. The phrase literally translates to “oh sky!” or “oh heaven!”.  

96. Wait a minute 等一下

Pronunciation: Děng yíxià

There are lots of ways you can tell someone to wait in Chinese, from the formal to the slang. The one phrase that you can use universally is “deng yi xia”.

97. I get it 知道了

Pronunciation: Zhīdào le

The Chinese phrase “zhidao le” appears often in casual conversations. You can use this to signify that you understand or realize something. For instance, when people are explaining something to you, you understand the information and there is no need for repetition, or you can exclaim “zhidao le!” to convey joyous pride when you master a tough concept.

98. Let’s go 我们走吧

Pronunciation: Wǒmen zǒu ba

Use this phrase to signify you’re ready to leave or to prompt your companions to get going.

99. See you soon 回头见

Pronunciation: Huí tóu jiàn

The expression “hui tou jian” is a friendly, casual way to say goodbye to someone in Chinese. Use this popular phrase to end a conversation if you expect to see the person again soon.

Let’s go over the 10 basic phrases you can use to sound truly Chinese with this chart.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Long time no see!	好久不见！	Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn!
Awesome!	棒极了！	Bàng jí le!
Not bad/It’s all right	还行	Hái xíng
Really?	真的吗？	Zhēn de ma?
No way!	不会吧！	Bú huì ba!
Oh my God!	天哪！	Tiān na!
Wait a minute	等一下	Děng yíxià
I get it	知道了	Zhīdào le
Let’s go	我们走吧	Wǒmen zǒu ba
See you soon	回头见	Huí tóu jiàn

Next Step – Start Learning Chinese

So now you have the right keywords to help you get started on your Mandarin Chinese journey. With these basic but highly useful phrases, you’ll soon find yourself having your first conversation with a native Chinese speaker.

We also recommend you combine what you learn in this article with our other free resources:

• The Most Common, Core Chinese Words (by frequency method)
• Basic Chinese Grammar for Beginners (everything you need to know)

The beginner’s trio will make “triple” sure you know all the words and phrases you’ll hear most often, all the words you want to say, and how to put together a complete Chinese sentence with them. You would be able to form a proper conversation naturally with this combination!

Chinese Measure Words 🤔 71 Frequently Used (With Free PDF, Video and Quiz)

Your Complete Guide to Chinese Measure Words

Chinese measure words can be one of the most intimidating and confusing things about learning Chinese for beginners.

Even for advanced learners it can be difficult to know which is the correct measure word to use because there are literally hundreds of them!

That’s why we’ve put together a complete guide to 12 of the most common and 59 of the most frequently used Chinese measure words.

Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced learner of Chinese you’ll be able to expand beyond just using 个 gè.

To make things easier, we’ve split up the measure words into different categories, starting with 12 of the most common Chinese measure words.

For any beginners you might want to get your head around the first 12 before trying to learn anymore.

You’ll notice that some measure words appear in more than one category as some can be used for a variety of objects.

Chinese Measure Words – 12 of the Most Common

Chinese Measure Words – People and Animals

Chinese Measure Words – Body Parts

Chinese Measure Words – Food

Chinese Measure Words – Plants, Fruit and Vegetables

Chinese Measure Words – Vehicles and Buildings

Chinese Measure Words – Household Items

Chinese Measure Words – Clothing and Jewellery

Chinese Measure Words – Time

Chinese Measure Words – Units of Measure

Chinese Measure Words – Pairs, Collections and Groups

FREE DOWNLOAD – Measure Words PDF

TEST YOURSELF – Chinese Measure Words Quiz

Play

Chinese Measure Words – 12 of The Most Common

Firstly, don’t let yourself be too overwhelmed by the concept of measure words. They do actually exist in other languages like English for certain nouns such as three glasses, or a bar of chocolate.

The only difference in Chinese is that all nouns must have a measure word before them

It may take a little bit of getting used to at first, but after a little while, including a measure word will just seem like second nature!

#1 – 个 gè

The king of all measure words!

个 gè can be used as a generic measure word if you’re not sure of the correct one. Although hopefully with our guide you’ll be able to up your Chinese game and start using some other measure words instead!

In general 个 gè should be used as a measure word for people and unspecified items:

• 一个朋友 yí gè péngyou – A friend
• 一个东西 yī gè dōngxī – A thing

#2 – 张 zhāng

This is an important measure word to learn for anyone living or travelling in China as it is used for flat things such as pieces of paper.

For instance it would be used when buying tickets:

• 两张火车票 liǎng zhāng huǒchē piào – Two train tickets
• 一张硬卧票 yī zhāng yìng wò piào – One soft sleeper ticket

This measure word is also used for other flat objects like certain furniture:

• 一张双人床 yī zhāng shuāngrén chuáng – A double bed
• 我想订一张桌子 wǒ xiǎng dìng yī zhāng zhuōzi – I want to book a table

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#3 – 本 běn

This is another important one to learn, because here 个 really can’t be used as a replacement, or you’re going to get some strange looks!

本 běn is used for when you are talking about books, magazines, notebooks etc.

• 一本杂志 yī běn zázhì – A magazine
• 一本笔记本 yī běn bǐjìběn – A notebook

#4 – 杯 bēi

If you want to advance your Chinese ordering beyond pointing at the menu and saying 这个 zhège, then this is a good word to start with.

杯 bēi is the measure word used for glasses or cups. This is an easy one to get used to as we use glass as a measure word in other languages.

• 两杯红酒 liǎng bēi hóngjiǔ – Two glasses of red wine
• 三杯啤酒 sān bēi píjiǔ – Three glasses of beer

To ask for a physical glass you need to add 子 zi at the end (杯子 bēizi).

#5 – 瓶 píng

Similar to 杯 bēi, 瓶 píng is a good measure word to learn for when ordering drinks in bars or restaurants.

瓶 píng is the quantifier for bottles, it’s helpful to learn so that you can distinguish between ordering a bottle or glass of something.

• 一瓶水 yī píng shuǐ – A bottle of water
• 一瓶白葡萄酒 yī píng bái pútáojiǔ – A bottle of white wine

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#6 – 条 tiáo

Now, we’ve come onto a slightly more tricky and obscure measure word because the connection between words it’s used for doesn’t seem immediately obvious.

• 两条鱼 liǎng tiáo yú – Two fish
• 一条路 yī tiáo lù – A road
• 这条河 zhè tiáo hé – This river
• 两条裤子 liǎng tiáo kù zi – Two pairs of trousers

It may seem strange to have the same measure word for fish and road. What do they have in common?

However, it actually makes sense, in general this measure word is used for long, narrow or skinny objects and animals.

You’ll see that this measure word appears in quite a few different categories.

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#7 – 件 jiàn

This is a measure word that has quite a few broad uses. 件 jiàn is used for some items of clothing, presents or problems/matters.

• 一件衬衫 yī jiàn chènshān- A shirt
• 一件事 – yī jiàn shì – One matter or problem

Unlike 条 tiáo, it isn’t clear how these words are all connected!

#8 – 块 kuài

Most people will be familiar with the measure word 块 kuài which is used as the colloquial classifier for 元 yuán. However, it is also used for big pieces of something, portions and wristwatches.

• 三块钱 sān kuài qián – Three yuan
• 一块石头 yī kuài shítou – A rock

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#9 – 家 jiā

This is another word that most people will be familiar with as it’s the word for home or family.

But, 家 jiā is also a measure word and is used for families or business establishments.

• 这家公司 zhè jiā gōng sī – This company
• 一家酒吧 – yī jiā jiǔ bā – A bar
• 两家人家 liǎng jiā rénjiā – Two families

#10 – 只 zhī

In general 只 zhī is the go to measure word for animals, although not all animals. (You can have a look at the animals section to see which).

It is also used for body parts that come in pairs, to mean “one of a pair”.

• 五只猫 – wǔ zhī māo – Five cats
• 四只鸡 sì zhī jī – Four chickens
• 一只耳朵 yì zhī ěr duo- An ear

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Play

#11 – 辆 liàng

The measure word 辆 liàng is used for vehicles with wheels, although not for trains (check out the transport section).

• 一辆摩托车 yī liàng mótuō chē – A motorbike
• 三辆自行车 sān liàng zì xíng chē – Three bicycles
• 五辆车 wǔ liàng chē – Five cars

#12 – 双 shuāng

This is the measure word for pairs. However, 双 shuāng is not used for all things you would say pair for in English. For example as we saw earlier the measure word for a pair of trousers is actually 条 tiáo.

• 一双筷子 yī shuāng kuàizi – A pair of chopsticks
• 一双鞋 yī shuāng xié – A pair of shoes
• 两双手套 liǎng shuāng shǒutào – Two pairs of gloves

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PRO TIP: If you select a word in Pleco many words will have the appropriate measure word at the bottom of the page

Chinese Measure Words – People and Animals

First up in our categories is people and animals. Some of these measure words we’ve already covered in the most common measure words section.

People

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example Sentence
个	gè	Person, general measure word	一个人 yī gè rén A person
位	wèi	More respectful than 个, and used only for people	三位老师 sān wèi lǎoshī Three teachers
名	míng	People with status, typically used for a person’s occupation	一名医生 yī míng yīshēng A doctor
口	kǒu	Family members, household (rarely used in speech)	三口人 sān kǒu rén Three persons

Animals

There are four different measure words used for animals in Chinese.

• 只 zhī – Used for most animals including birds
  • 一只鸟 yī zhī niǎo – A bird
  • 一只狗 yī zhī gǒu – A dog
  • 一只大象 yī zhī dà xiàng – An elephant

• 头 tóu – Bigger animals, normally livestock
  • 一头猪 yī tóu zhū – A pig
  • 一头牛 yī tóu niú – A cow

• 匹 pǐ – Horses, mules etc.
  • 一匹马 yī pǐ mǎ – A horse

• 条 tiáo – Fish, snakes
  • 一条蛇 yì tiáo shé – A snake
  • 一条鱼 yì tiáo yú – A fish
  • 一条龙 yì tiáo lóng – A dragon

Chinese Measure Words – Body Parts

Here are the six Chinese measure words used for classifying body parts in Chinese.

张 zhāng – Measure word for face, mouth
一张脸 yì zhāng liǎn – A face
一张嘴 yì zhāng zuǐ – A mouth

根 gēn – Thin, slender body parts e.g. finger, a hair

• 一根手指 yì gēn shǒu zhǐ – A finger
• 一根头发 yì gēn tóu fa – A hair

只 zhī – For body parts, this means “one of a pair”.
一只耳朵 yì zhī ěr duo – An ear
一只手 yì zhī shǒu – A hand

条 tiáo – Long, narrow body parts

• 一条腿 yì tiáo tuǐ – A leg

双 shuāng – A pair of body parts
一双眼睛 yì shuāng yǎnjing – A pair of eyes
一双手 yì shuāng shǒu – A pair of hands

颗 kē – Small, normally round body parts

• 一颗牙齿 yì kē yá chǐ – A tooth
• 一颗心 yì kē xīn – A heart

Chinese Measure Words – Food

This is the must read category for anyone who wants to improve their restaurant ordering skills.

• 碗 wǎn – For food in bowl
  • 一碗面 yì wǎn miàn – A bowl of noodles
  • 一碗汤 yì wǎn tāng – A bowl of soup
• 份 fèn – For a meal of a fixed menu in a restaurant
  • 一份米饭 yí fèn mǐfàn – An order of rice
• 串 chuàn – Skewer
  • 一串肉 yī chuàn ròu – A skewer of meat
• 盘 pán – dish, and can be used for a plate of food
  • 一盘菜 yì pán cài – A dish
  • 一盘饺子 yì pán jiǎozi – A plate of dumplings

• 锅 guō – Pot, pan, boiler
  • 一锅粥 yì guō zhōu – A pot of porridge
  • 一锅汤 yì guō tāng – A pot of soup
• 笼 lóng – Bamboo or wooden utensil for steaming food
  • 一笼包子 yì lóng bāozi – An order of steamed stuffed buns
  • 一笼蒸饺 yì lóng zhēngjiǎo – An order of steamed dumplings
• 碟 dié – Small plate
  • 一碟醋 yì dié cù – A dish of vinegar
  • 一碟花生米 yì dié huāshēngmǐ – A dish of peanuts
• 顿 dùn – Meal
  • 一顿饭 yí dùn fàn – A meal
  • 一顿早餐 yí dùn zǎocān – A breakfast

• 片 piàn – Thin slice of food
  • 一片面包 yí piàn miànbāo – A slice of bread
  • 一片培根 yí piàn péigēn – A slice of bacon
• 块 kuài – A portion, piece or thick slice of food
  • 一块蛋糕 yí kuài dàngāo – A piece of cake
  • 一块西瓜 yí kuài xīguā – A slice of watermelon

• 包 bāo – Pack, packet or bag
  • 一包糖果 yì bāo tángguǒ – A pack of candies
  • 一包饼干 yì bāo bǐnggān – A pack of biscuits
• 盒 hé – Box or carton
  • 一盒牛奶 yì hé niúnǎi – A carton of milk
  • 一盒巧克力 yì hé qiǎokèlì – A box of chocolate

In our most common measure words we already saw the words for bottle (瓶 píng) and glass (杯 bēi), here are a couple more:

• 听 tīng – Can
  • 一听可乐 yì tīng kělè – A can of cola
• 罐 guàn – Jar, pot, tin
  • 一罐蜂蜜 yí guàn fēngmì – A jar of honey

Make sure to have a look at guide to reading a Chinese menu, for more tips on ordering food at restaurants.

We also have a handy menu cheat sheet, which you can save on Instagram.

Of course, if all else fails when trying to order food in a restaurant there is always the “这个 zhège” technique, which you can see Campbell using at the end of the video below.

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Chinese Measure Words – Plants, Fruit and Vegetables

Plants

There are three Chinese measure words used for plants.

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example Sentence
棵	kē	classifier for trees, grass etc. (also includes cabbages)	一棵树 yī kē shù A tree
株	zhū	smaller trees/plants, flower still in the ground	一株花 yī zhū huā A flower
朵	duǒ	for flowers, clouds or things similar to them	一朵玫瑰 yī duǒ méigu A stem of rose

Fruit and Vegetables

The measure words for fruit and vegetables tend to describe the size and shape of them. There are also some fruit or vegetables such as apples or aubergines, where you can just use 个 gè.

• 根 gēn – Long slender objects; thin, flexible strands
  • 一根胡萝卜 yì gēn húluóbo – A carrot
  • 一根黄瓜 yì gēn huángguā – A cucumber

• 颗 kē – Small objects, objects appearing small (hearts, pearls, diamonds, teeth, satellites, etc.)
  • 一颗葡萄 yì kē pú tao – A grape
  • 一颗樱桃 yì kē yīng táo – A cherry

• 粒 lì – Gain; classifier for small round things (seeds, peas, bullets, peanuts, pills, grains etc.)
  • 一粒大米 yí lì dà mǐ – A grain of rice
  • 一粒黄豆 yì lì huáng dòu – A soya bean

• 头 tóu – Bulb
  • 一头蒜 yì tóu suàn – A bulb of garlic
  • 一头洋葱 yì tóu yángcōng – An onion

• 瓣 bàn – For segment, section, clove (normally 儿 is added)
  • 一瓣儿蒜 yí bànr suàn – A clove of garlic
  • 一瓣儿橘子 yí bànr júzi – A slice of orange

• 把 bǎ – For a quantity of things that can be held in one hand
  • 一把香蕉 yì bǎ xiāngjiāo – A bunch of bananas
  • 一把青菜 yì bǎ qīngcài – A bunch of green vegetables

Chinese Measure Words – Vehicles and Buildings

Vehicles

We already saw the measure word for most wheeled vehicles in our most common measure words sections.

But what about the measure words for other modes of transport in Chinese?

Hanzi & Pinyin	Meaning	Example Sentence
辆 liàng	Used for most wheeled vehicles	一辆汽车 yí liàng qì chē A car
艘 sōu	Used for ships and vessels	一艘轮船 yì sōu lún chuán A steamer
列 liè	Used for trains etc. (列 is used for a series or row of things)	一列火车 yí liè huǒ chē A train
架 jià	Used for airplanes (also used for pianos and machines)	一架飞机 yí jià fēi jī An aeroplane

Buildings

If you’ve ever written put your address in Chinese for a food delivery app or Taobao, then you may have seen some of these measure words for buildings included in your address.

• 座 zuò – Measure word for big buildings, mountains, bridges
  • 一座大厦 yí zuò dà shà – A mansion
  • 一座桥 yí zuò qiáo – A bridge
  • 一座寺庙 yí zuò sìmiào – A temple

• 栋 dòng – Measure word for buildings
  • 一栋房子 yí dòng fángzi – A house
  • 一栋别墅 yí dòng biéshù – A villa

• 间 jiān – Room
  • 一间屋子 yì jiān wūzi – A room
  • 一间教室 yì jiān jiàoshì – A classroom

• 所 suǒ – For buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated
  • 一所学校 yì suǒ xuéxiào – A school
  • 一所医院 yì suǒ yīyuàn – A hospital

• 家 jiā – As seen in our most common words this is the measure word for families or businesses
  • 一家宾馆 yì jiā bīnguǎn – A hotel
  • 一家公司 yì jiā gōngsī – A company
  • 一家电影院 yì jiā diànyǐngyuàn – A cinema

Chinese Measure Words – Household Items

Appliances/Electronics

• 台 tái – Heavy objects (TVs, computers, etc.)
  • 一台电脑 yì tái diànnǎo – A computer
  • 一台电视 yì tái diànshì – A television
• 部 bù – Measure word for small devices, films, machines, dictionaries, etc.
  • 一部手机 yí bù shǒujī – A mobile phone
• 盏 zhǎn – Lamp
  • 一盏台灯 yī zhǎn táidēng – A standing lamp

Daily use items

• 把 bǎ – Most commonly used to quantify objects that can be grasped or objects with a handle
  • 一把椅子 yì bǎ yǐzi – A chair
  • 一把勺子 yì bǎ sháozi – A spoon
• 床 chuáng – Used for bedsheets (床 chuáng is also the word for bed)
  • 一床棉被 yī chuáng miánbèi – A cotton blanket
• 条 tiáo – Towel, tablecloth
  • 一条毯子 yī tiáo tǎnzi – A blanket

Furniture

• 张 zhāng – Rectangular or flat objects (we saw this one earlier in the most common Chinese measure words list)
  • 一张饭桌 yì zhāng fànzhuō – A dining table
  • 一张沙发 yì zhāng shāfā – A sofa
• 扇 shàn – Door or window: open and close on hinges
  • 一扇门 yí shàn mén – A door
  • 一扇窗 yí shàn chuāng – A window
• Some furniture uses the generic 个 as well
  • 一个衣柜 yí gè yīguì – A wardrobe
  • 一个书架 yí gè shūjià – A bookshelf

Chinese Measure Words – Clothing and Jewellery

In the most common measure word section we will have seen the word 件 jiàn which can be used for most articles of clothing. However, here are some other measure words also used for clothing.

Hanzi & Pinyin	Meaning	Example Sentence
件 jiàn	Article of clothing	一件衣服 yī jiàn yīfú An article of clothing
条 tiáo	A long article of clothing or jewellery	一条领带 yī tiáo lǐngdài A necktie
套 tào	A set/suit of clothing	一套西装 yī tào xīzhuāng A suit
双 shuāng	A pair	一双袜子 yī shuāng wàzi A pair of socks
只 zhī	One of a pair	一只手套 yī zhī shǒutào A glove
顶 dǐng	For things that have a top e.g. hats	一顶帽子 yī dǐng màozi A hat
枚 méi	Small objects e.g. rings, brooches	一枚戒指 yī méi jièzhǐ A ring
对 duì	For certain pairs of objects	一对耳环 yī duì ěrhuán A pair of earrings

If you have an interest in clothes or just want to know vocab for some online shopping, have a look at our guides to clothes in Chinese and jewellery in Chinese.

Clothes in Chinese 👗 The Complete Guide to 101 Different Clothing Items (with Quiz)

The Ultimate Guide For Talking About Clothes in Chinese Perhaps you’re just interested in knowing different types of clothes in Chinese, or maybe you want to know specific vocab to use when shopping for clothes on Taobao. Either way our…

Chinese Measure Words – Time

These are definitely some important measure words to learn. Be careful though, as some of them are only used in writing, and aren’t really used in spoken Chinese.

• 秒 miǎo – Second 一秒钟 yī miǎo zhōng – One second
• 分 fēn – Minute 一分钟 yī fēnzhōng – One minute
• 天 tiān – Day 一天 yī tiān – One day
• 日 rì – Day 一日 yī rì – One day (used in written form)
• 周 zhōu – Week 一周 yī zhōu – One week (used in written form)
• 年 nián – Year 一年 yī nián – One year
• 代 dài – Era, generation 上一代 shàng yīdài – The previous generation
• 次 cì – Time 一次 yī cì – Once

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Some words that indicate an amount of time can’t be used on their own and need to have the measure word 个 gè used as part of them:

• 一个小时 yī gè xiǎoshí – One hour
• 一个星期 yī gè xīngqí – One week
• 一个月 yī gè yuè – One month
• 一个年代 yī gè niándài – One decade
• 一个世纪 yī gè shìjì – One century

Chinese Measure Words – Units of Measure

Next, are some Chinese measure words for units of measure. The weight units of measure are especially helpful to learn for shopping for fresh ingredients such as fruit and vegetables.

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Weight

• 斤 jīn – 0.5 kg
• 吨 dūn – Ton
• 磅 bàng – Pound (lb)

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Length

• 寸 cùn – One inch (different length to western inch – 3.3333cm)
• 尺 chǐ – One foot (different length to western foot – 1/3 m)
• 里 lǐ – 0.5 km

As you can see a Chinese inch and a Chinese foot, is not the same length as those used in the west – so be careful you don’t get confused!

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Money

• 块 kuài – Colloquial measure word for 1 元 yuán
• 毛 máo – Colloquial measure word for 1 角 jiǎo (1/10 yuan)
• 笔 bǐ – An unspecified sum of money

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Volume and Degree

• 升 shēng – 1 litre
• 斗 dòu – 10 litres
• 度 dù – Degree, level (e.g. temperature, degree of angle etc.)

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More units of measurement can be found in our complete guide to measurements in Chinese.

Chinese Measure Words – Pairs, Collections and Groups

Pairs

We’ve already seen two of these in the clothes and jewellery section, but they can also be used as measure words in other situations.

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example Sentence
双	shuāng	Pair of identical objects	一双筷子 yī shuāng kuàizi
副	fù	Pair of complementary objects	一副碗筷 yī fù wǎnkuài Bowl and chopsticks
对	duì	For couples e.g. man and wife	一对情人 yī duì qíngrén Pair of lovers

Collections and Groups

In Chinese there are also quite a few different measure words for collections and groups of people or objects.

• 些 xiē – A few
  • 一些東西 yī xiē dōngxī – A few things
• 种 zhǒng – A kind
  • 一种动物 yī zhǒng dòngwù – A type of animal
• 群 qún – Group, flock
  • 一群人 yī qún rén – A group of people
  • 一群羊 yī qún yáng – A flock of sheep
• 众 zhòng – A crowd
  • 一众人 yī zhòng rén – A crowd of people
• 组 zǔ – Set, series
  • 一组邮票 yī zǔ yóupiào – A set of stamps
• 帮 bāng – A group or a band
  • 一帮贼 yī bāng zéi – A group of thieves

• 班 bān – A class
  • 一班学生 yī bān xuéshēng – A class of students
• 排 pái – A row, queue
  • 一排电杆 yī pái diàn gān – A row of electrical posts
• 队 duì – A team, battalion
  • 一队军人 yī duì jūnrén – A battalion of soldiers
• 打 dá – A dozen
  • 一打鸡蛋 yī dá jīdàn – A dozen eggs
• 叠 dié – Stack
  • 一叠箱 yī dié xiāng – A stack of boxes/containers
  • 一叠钱 yī dié qián – A stack of money

If you made it this far, congratulations, you’ve officially mastered the measure words in Chinese!

Now let’s see how if you can hear them in conversation here. Watch this video and write down all the measure words you spot!

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So what did you think? Did you enjoy our guide? Did you learn anything new?

Drop us a comment below if you have any questions or even requests for further articles or videos – we are always all ears!

If you want to push your language skills even further, why not check out our guide to Vietnamese Measure Words as well – because learning more languages is just fun!

FREE DOWNLOAD – Measure Words PDF

As that might’ve been a lot to take in (don’t worry, it gets easier)… we thought it’d be a good thing to spend some hours creating the perfect PDF for you guys to download, FREE!

Yes indeed, there is no catch, no email to hand over, no donations – we create them out of sheer love for the language, and our readers!

It took us some time to make so we really hope you like it and use it.

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TEST YOURSELF – Our Measure Words Quiz

So we’ve done everything we can! We’ve held your hand until this far, but now it’s time to go it along and take on the Measure Words yourself!

Don’t worry, we believe in you!

This quiz is really simple to follow – every question has four options so just take a guess if you don’t know.

Results are immediate and if you like, why not share your score below?

Related Articles:

Chinese Radicals

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Chinese Numbers

Learn everything about Chinese numbers from the basic 1-20 to how you say big numbers and Chinese finger counting.

Chinese Punctuation

Confused by the differences and similarities between Chinese punctuation and Western punctuation? Then check out this blog to learn all about it.

Chinese Measure Words – FAQ’s

What are Chinese measure words?

Measure words are a word that is put before all nouns in Chinese. An English example would be a cup of tea or a stick of gum.

How many Chinese measure words are there?

There are hundreds of Chinese measure words, in our blog we’ve picked out 12 must know words and 59 of the other most frequently used.

Do I have to know the correct Chinese measure word for every word?

No so don’t worry if you are learning them. Many advanced speakers don’t even know all of the measure words in Chinese.

If in doubt you can always default to 个 gè.

What is the Chinese measure word for teacher?

When talking about teachers you normally used the polite measure word 位 wèi e.g. 三位老师 sān wèi lǎoshī (three teachers).

What is the Chinese measure word for sofa?

The Chinese measure word for sofa is 张 zhāng e.g. 一张沙发 yì zhāng shāfā – A sofa.

What is the Chinese measure word for animals?

The Chinese measure word used for most animals is 只 zhī, however this isn’t used for all animals.

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