件 · 条 · 位 · 层 · 封
measure words: clothes and matters · long things · people (polite) · floors · letters
Structure
件 + 衣服／事／礼物 · 条 + 鱼／河／路 · 位 + 客人／老师 · 层 + 楼 · 封 + 信
What it means
Measure words for different things: 件 clothes, matters and gifts; 条 long, thin things; 位 people you respect; 层 floors; 封 letters.
How it is built
Number／这／那 + measure word + noun: 一件事, 一条路, 这位老师, 一封信. Example: 这位老师给我写了一封信 (This teacher wrote me a letter).
When to use it
位 is a polite 个: 一位客人. 条 is for a fish, a road, a river. 层, like 楼 (h1-7), counts the ground floor as 一层, so a British “first floor” is 二层.
Watch out
Never use 位 for yourself. ✗ 我是一位老师。 ✓ 我是老师。
Examples
这位老师给我写了一封信。
This teacher wrote me a letter.
我想跟你说一件事。
There’s something I want to tell you.
这条路上有很多饭馆。
There are lots of restaurants on this road.
我家在三层。
We live on the third floor (two floors up).
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 14: 送礼物 (Giving gifts)
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 →