公斤 · 米 · 公里
weights and lengths
Structure
数词 + 公斤／米／公里 · 数量 + 长／高／重
What it means
China uses metric units: 米 metre, 公里 kilometre, 公斤 kilogram. Use them to say how long, high or heavy something is.
How it is built
Number + unit, with no 个: 五公斤. For size, put 长／高／重 after the amount: 这条路有十公里长 (This road is 10 km long). A height reads like a price: 一米八 = 1.8 m.
When to use it
2 before a unit is 两: 两公里, but 二十公里. At markets food is priced by the 斤 (jīn), which is half a 公斤 (you saw it at the fruit stall in h1-10).
Watch out
The number goes straight before the unit. ✗ 五个公斤 ✓ 五公斤. ✗ 两千个米高 ✓ 两千米高.
Examples
这条路有十公里长。
This road is 10 km long.
这座山有两千多米高。
This mountain is over 2,000 metres high.
我的包有二十公斤重。
My bag weighs 20 kilos.
一公里等于一千米。
A kilometre is a thousand metres.
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 15: 中国有多大 (How big is China?)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →