beginnerA1 · TOCFL a1measure wordfunction word
块 杯 支 种
Pattern
Number / 这 / 那 + 块 / 杯 / 支 / 种 + noun
Key words
Core idea
Mandarin uses measure words between numbers or demonstratives and nouns. This lesson adds four common ones: 块, 杯, 支, and 种.
Use 块 for pieces or chunks, 杯 for cups of drinks, 支 for long thin objects such as pens, and 种 for kinds or types.
What learners often miss
The measure word is part of the noun phrase. If a number, 这, or 那 comes before the noun, a measure word usually appears before the noun itself.
Examples
我买一块蛋糕。
Wǒ mǎi yí kuài dàngāo.
I am buying a piece of cake.
他喝两杯茶。
Tā hē liǎng bēi chá.
He drinks two cups of tea.
桌上有三支笔。
Zhuō shàng yǒu sān zhī bǐ.
There are three pens on the table.
我喜欢这种咖啡。
Wǒ xǐhuan zhè zhǒng kāfēi.
I like this kind of coffee.
Common mistakes
Avoid
一蛋糕
Use
一块蛋糕
A number normally needs a measure word before the noun.