When and where to use measure words

It is OBLIGATORY to use a measure word when a numeral, a demonstrative pronoun, or an interrogative pronoun qualifies a noun.

1. Between a numeral and a noun.

numeral + measure word + noun

  1. wǔ bēi chá
    五杯茶
    five cups of tea


  2. sān běn shū
    三本书
    three books


  3. yì diǎnr jiǔ
    一点儿酒
    a little bit of wine


  4. liǎng wèi lǎoshī
    两位老师
    two teachers
Note that the numeral for 'two ' of something is 'liǎng 两 ', not èr 二.

2. Between a demonstrative pronoun (zhè 这 this, nà 那 that) and a noun, when the numeral is yī 一 (one), yī 一 (one) has been omitted. Note that when used before numeral and measure words zhè 这 and nà 那 are often pronounced as zhèi 这 and nèi 那 in spoken Chinese.

zhèi 这 or nèi 那 + (one) + measure word + noun


  1. zhèi běn shū
    这本书
    this book


  2. nèi ge rén
    那个人
    that person


  3. zhèi sān běn shū
    这三本书
    these three books

    The numeral cannot be omitted if it is greater than one. Also note that the demonstrative pronoun with a measure word is zhèi 这 (this) or nèi 那 (that), not zhèixiē 这些 (these) or nèixiē 那些 (those). In other words, in Chinese the singular demonstrative is used with numerals bigger than 'one ', i.e. 'this three... ' or 'that five... ' instead of 'these three... ' or 'those five... ' for multiple objects with specified number.
    See the examples below:


  4. zhèi xiē shū
    这些书
    these books

    When demonstratives are used to point at multiple objects with unspecified number, Chinese uses zhèi xiē 这些 (these) and nèi xiē 那些 (those). When xiē 些 , literally meaning 'a small amount ', is used, it serves as a measure word and replaces the original measure word of the noun.

  5. zhèi xiē běn shū.
    这些本书
    these books

    It would be incorrect to use a measure word when you are already using xiē 些.

3. Between the interrogative pronoun nǎ/něi 哪 (which) and a noun, when the numeral is one but has been omitted.

nǎ/něi 哪 + (one) + measure word + noun

  1. Něi běn shū？
    哪本书？
    Which book?

4. Between the interrogative pronoun jǐ 几 (how many; how much) and a noun. Jǐ 几 is used for numbers smaller than ten. Jǐ 几 also means 'several', 'a few' 'some' or 'a couple of ' and it requires a measure word before the noun. If the number is expected to be greater than ten, the interrogative pronoun should be duō shǎo 多少 (how many; how much), which does not take a measure word.

jǐ 几 + measure word + noun

  1. Jǐ běn shū?
    几本书？
    How many books? (expecting a number smaller than ten)

    Compare withduō shǎo多少 for numbers greater than ten. It does not take a measure word.


  2. Duō shǎo shū? (NO MEASURE WORD)
    多少书？
    How many books? (expecting a number bigger than ten)