一张 · 一把 · 一台 · 一双
measure words chosen by the shape or kind of thing
Structure
数词 + 张 床／桌子 · 把 椅子／伞 · 台 冰箱／电脑 · 支 笔 · 只 猫／鸟 · 双 鞋 · 种 东西 · 群 人 · 束 花 · 行 字 · 架 飞机
What it means
Many nouns take their own measure word, chosen by the shape or kind of thing. It goes between the number and the noun.
How it is built
Number + measure word + noun: 我买了一台冰箱和两把椅子 (I bought a fridge and two chairs). 张 flat things, 把 things you grip, 台 machines, 双 pairs.
When to use it
Also: 支 pens, 只 many animals, 束 bunches of flowers, 群 crowds, flocks, 架 planes, 行 (háng) lines of writing, 种 kinds. They add to 个, 本, 杯, 张, 件 and 条.
Watch out
A pair of shoes is 一双鞋; one shoe on its own is 一只鞋. ✗ 一个鞋 ✓ 一只鞋. Learn each noun with its measure word: 一把伞, 一台电脑.
Examples
我买了一台冰箱和两把椅子。
I bought a fridge and two chairs.
门口有一双鞋和一把伞。
There’s a pair of shoes and an umbrella by the door.
黑板上写着两行字。
There are two lines of writing on the blackboard.
天上飞过一群鸟。
A flock of birds flew across the sky.
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 1: 搬家 (Moving in)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
Open the lesson →