一个还是两个 Chinese Measure Words

星期六xīngqīliù，我wǒ和hé朋友péngyou去qù商店shāngdiàn买mǎi东西dōngxi。

On Saturday, my friend and I went to the store to buy some things.

我wǒ看见kànjiàn一yì本běn书shū，说shuō：“我wǒ要yào买mǎi一yí个gè书shū。”

I saw a book and said, "I want to buy this book."

服务员fúwùyuán笑xiào了le，说shuō：“书shū应该yīnggāi说shuō一yì本běn，不bú是shì一yí个gè。”

The clerk smiled and said, "For books you should say 'yì běn,' not 'yí gè.'"

后来hòulái，我wǒ买mǎi了le一yì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi和hé一yí块kuài蛋糕dàngāo。

This time, I bought a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.

朋友péngyou说shuō：“你nǐ现在xiànzài会huì了le！”

My friend said, "Now you've got it!"

我wǒ还hái想xiǎng买mǎi一yí件jiàn衣服yīfu，可是kěshì钱qián不bù多duō了le。

I still wanted to buy a piece of clothing, but I was running low on money.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

本běn(measure word for books)

杯bēi(measure word for cups)

块kuài(measure word for chunks/pieces)

件jiàn(measure word for clothes)

个gè(general measure word)

东西dōngxithings

Grammar note 语法点

measure word + noun（量词 + 名词）

A number needs a specific measure word before the noun — not just 个 for everything: 一本书 (a book), 一杯咖啡 (a cup of coffee), 一块蛋糕 (a piece of cake), 一件衣服 (a piece of clothing).

我要买一本书，不是一个书。 — I want to buy a book, not "yí gè shū."

一 changes tone before a measure word

一 is yì before a 1st/2nd/3rd-tone measure word (like 本, 杯) and yí before a 4th-tone one (like 个, 件, 块).

一杯咖啡 (yì bēi)、一个人 (yí gè).

会 + 了（now you can do it）

会 means 'know how to'; adding 了 shows a change — you couldn't before, but now you can.

你现在会了！ — Now you've got it!

Check yourself 小测验

1. What mistake does the narrator make with the book?

2. What does the narrator buy correctly the second time?

3. Why doesn't the narrator buy the clothing?

一个还是两个Yí gè háishi liǎng gèChinese Measure Words

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 2 reading practice