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  <title>Measure words with "this" and "that"</title>
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  <h1>Measure words with "this" and "that"</h1>

  <p>In English, when you refer to "this table" or "that girl" you only need two words: "this" or "that" plus the noun you're referring to. In Chinese, though, you also need a measure word in the middle between the two. In the very beginning you can get away with using <span class="hanzi">个</span> (<span class="pinyin">gè</span>) for everything, but pretty soon you're going to have to start using other measure words in these simple phrases.</p>

  <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>

  <p>If you use <span class="hanzi">这</span> (<span class="pinyin">zhè</span>) or <span class="hanzi">那</span> (<span class="pinyin">nà</span>) before a noun, you also need to include a measure word before the noun.</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">这</span> / <span class="hanzist">那</span> + Measure Word + Noun</p>
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  <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>

  <p>Note: In this usage, the tone of <span class="hanzi">个</span> (<span class="pinyin">gè</span>) tends to soften, so it's represented below as a neutral tone.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">那 个 人</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">nàge rén</span> <br/> that person</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这 本 书</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zhè běn shū</span> <br/> this book</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那 件 事</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">nà jiàn shì</span> <br/> that matter (in the sense of business, affair, or thing)</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这 瓶 啤酒</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zhè píng píjiǔ</span> <br/> this bottle of beer</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那 个 房间</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">nàge fángjiān</span> <br/> that room</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那 台 电脑</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">nà tái diànnǎo</span> <br/> that new computer</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这 只 猫</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zhè zhī māo</span> <br/> that cat</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那 条 河</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">nà tiáo hé</span> <br/> that river</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这 件 衣服</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zhè jiàn yīfu</span> <br/> this piece of clothing</li>
    </ul>
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  <p>Although we didn't get into it here, the same pattern holds true when you use 哪 (nǎ) to ask "which?"</p>

  <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="&quot;Some&quot;_Using_&quot;yixie&quot;" title="wikilink">"Some" Using "yixie"</a></li>

    <li><a href="Measure_words_in_quantity_questions" title="wikilink">Measure words in quantity questions</a></li>

    <li><a href="Measure_Words_for_Verbs" title="wikilink">Measure Words for Verbs</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 33)</li>
  </ul>
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