Number + measure word (量词) + noun frame
A number can never sit straight before a noun: 一书 ✗ / 一个书 ✗ → 一本书 (yì běn shū -- a book). The frame is 数词 + 量词 + 名词 (number + measure word + noun), and each noun takes a set 量词: 本 (běn) books, 张 (zhāng) flat things, 杯 (bēi) cupfuls, 条 (tiáo) long thin things, 件 (jiàn) clothes/matters, 个 (gè) the default. Before a 量词 use 两 (liǎng), not 二: 两本书. No plural ending exists, so number + 量词 is the ONLY way to show quantity; the full list lives in the note.
Pronouns (我/你/您/这/那) + 的 possession
Personal pronouns: 我 (wǒ -- I), 你 (nǐ -- you), 您 (nín -- you, polite), 他/她/它 (tā -- he/she/it); plurals add 们: 我们, 你们, 他们 (wǒmen, nǐmen, tāmen). Demonstratives: 这 (zhè -- this), 那 (nà -- that), 这个/那个, 这儿/那儿 (here/there). Possession uses 的 (de): 我的书 (wǒ de shū -- my book), 老师的车 (lǎoshī de chē -- teacher's car). Drop 的 only for a close relation or a group you belong to: 我妈妈 (wǒ māma -- my mum), 我们学校 (wǒmen xuéxiào -- our school). Use 您 to be polite.
每 (every) ... 都; Higher: reduplicate 量词
每 (měi -- every/each) needs a measure word and is echoed later by 都 (dōu -- all): 每个学生都有一本书 (Měi gè xuésheng dōu yǒu yì běn shū). Time words act like measure words, taking 每 directly: 每天 (měi tiān -- every day), 每年 (měi nián), still with 都. At HIGHER tier reduplicate the measure word to mean each and every one; it is the topic and pairs with 都: 这些照片张张都很漂亮 (Zhèxiē zhàopiàn zhāngzhāng dōu hěn piàoliang), 他们个个都很努力. A reduplicated measure word never follows a number.
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Using 个 for every noun (一个书 ✗)
✗ 一个书 (yí gè shū) / 三个茶 (sān gè chá) -- 个 used where a specific 量词 is needed, or omitted. ✓ 一本书 (yì běn shū -- a book), 三杯茶 (sān bēi chá). With no plural ending, number + the CORRECT 量词 is the only signal of quantity. Learn each noun with its 量词 as a pair: 书—本, 票—张, 茶—杯, 鱼/裤子—条, 衣服/事—件. If unsure, 个 is the safest default -- but check the common ones first.
(general FL trap)
Adding 们 after a number or to things
✗ 两本书们 (things do not take 们) / 三个朋友们 (a number is already there). ✓ 两本书 (liǎng běn shū), 三个朋友 (sān gè péngyou). 们 (men) attaches ONLY to people-nouns and only when NO number is present: 老师们, 同学们. Once a number is there the count shows plural, so 们 is dropped. For things, plurality comes from a number + 量词 or 些/几 (这些书, 几个人), never a word ending.
(general FL trap; plural ambiguity June 2023 1CN0/2H)
每 without its paired 都 or 量词
✗ 每学生喜欢这位老师 (no measure word after 每, no 都). ✓ 每个学生都喜欢这位老师 (Měi gè xuésheng dōu xǐhuan zhè wèi lǎoshī). 每 nearly always needs a measure word (每个人, 每本书) and is echoed by 都 in the predicate. The exception is a time word, itself measure-word-like: 每天都很忙 (měi tiān dōu hěn máng -- busy every day) -- keep 都 but add no 个. Say the pair in your head: 每 ... 都.
(general FL trap)
二 vs 两 before a measure word
✗ 二本书 (èr běn shū) / 二个人. ✓ 两本书 (liǎng běn shū -- two books), 两个人 (liǎng gè rén -- two people). Directly before a measure word the number two is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr). 二 is used for counting or reading digits (一、二、三) and inside bigger numbers (十二, 二十), but a quantity of two things before a 量词 is always 两. So it is 两杯茶 (liǎng bēi chá -- two cups of tea), never 二杯茶.
(general FL trap)
No number before a reduplicated 量词
(Higher) A reduplicated measure word (个个, 张张, 件件) means each and every one and stands as the TOPIC -- it can never follow a number. ✗ 二十个个个 / 三张张. ✓ 他们个个都很认真。(Tāmen gègè dōu hěn rènzhēn.) — Every single one of them is hard-working. 这些照片张张都很好看。(Zhèxiē zhàopiàn zhāngzhāng dōu hěn hǎokàn.) It always pairs with 都 later, and carries more emphasis than a plain 每个……都.
(general FL trap)
Possession 的: keep it, drop it for family
✗ 老师车 (missing 的 in ordinary possession). ✓ 老师的车 (lǎoshī de chē), 我的书 (wǒ de shū -- my book). Normal possession needs 的 (de) between owner and thing. DROP 的 only for a close relation or a group you belong to: 我妈妈 (wǒ māma -- my mum), 我们学校 (wǒmen xuéxiào -- our school). Keeping 的 there (我的妈妈) is understood but less natural; omitting it in ordinary possession loses clarity.
(general FL trap)
们 is not a general plural like -s
们 (men) is NOT the Chinese equivalent of English -s. It attaches only to nouns for PEOPLE (老师们, 朋友们) and only when there is no number in front. ✗ 三本书们 / 很多椅子们 / 三个学生们. ✓ 三本书 (number + 量词 shows plural), 三个学生 (number shows plural, no 们). Plurality is shown by a number + 量词, by 些/几 (这些书, 几个人), or by context -- the noun never changes shape. So 书 can mean one book or many.
Build a noun phrase in three steps
To name or count anything: 1) recall the noun's 量词 (书—本, 衣服—件, 茶—杯); 2) build number + 量词 + noun, using 两 not 二 (两件衣服); 3) wrap the rest around it -- 的 possession (我的两件衣服), 每……都, a demonstrative. Self-check: does every counted noun carry the RIGHT 量词?
People plural: a number OR 们, not both
For a people-plural, choose ONE way to show it: a number + 量词 (三个朋友 -- three friends, no 们), OR 们 for a general group (朋友们 -- friends, no number) -- never both (三个朋友们 ✗). For things there is no 们 at all: show plurality with a number + 量词 or 些/几 (这些书, 几本书).
Paper 4 translation: check every 量词
In the translation into Chinese (Paper 4, AO4) every countable noun needs number + the correct 量词. Scan each quantity: is the 量词 right (两本书, not 两个书), and is it 两 not 二 in front? Write characters only, never pinyin, and use standard written Chinese, not spoken Cantonese.
Role play: say the full 量词 aloud
In the Paper 2 role play (AO2) you must both ask and answer. When you say a quantity, pronounce number + 量词 + noun (我要两件 -- I want two), not a bare number. Answer the exact question word asked (几件 -- how many), and ask your own with the right interrogative (多少钱, 可不可以).
This grammar leaf (Section G, G1) covers four building blocks of every Chinese sentence: nouns and their suffixes, the measure words (量词) you must use to count, the words for every / each (每), and the pronouns plus possession with 的. Get these right and your speaking and writing sound accurate at once; get them wrong and even simple sentences lose marks. Higher tier adds the reduplicated measure word (个个/张张 … 都).
Chinese nouns never change for singular or plural: 书 (shū) can be a book or books -- the context or a number tells you which.
| Suffix | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 们 (men) | plural of people nouns only, with no number | 我们 (wǒmen -- we), 老师们 (lǎoshīmen -- teachers), 朋友们 (péngyoumen -- friends) |
| 子 (zi) | forms an everyday noun (neutral tone, no meaning of its own) | 桌子 (zhuōzi -- table), 椅子 (yǐzi -- chair), 儿子 (érzi -- son), 本子 (běnzi -- notebook) |
| 儿 (r) | forms a noun / softens it (common in the north) | 花儿 (huār -- flower), 画儿 (huàr -- picture), 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr -- a little) |
Key rule: 们 is not English -s. Never add it after a number (三个朋友们 ✗) or to a thing (书们 ✗).
The general / default measure word (量词) for people and many everyday objects
给下面四个名词配上正确的量词，写成"数词＋量词＋名词"（例如"一本书"）：书、椅子、鱼、衣服。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
下个星期你要跟同学去旅行。请给你的朋友写一条信息，告诉他你打算带哪些东西。请至少写出四样东西，每一样都要用"数词＋量词＋名词"（例如"两件衣服""一本书"），并问朋友他打算带什么。请用中文（汉字）书写，约80-90字。（8分）
你们学校的中文杂志想请同学介绍"我的家和我的房间"。请写一篇短文，内容包括：（1）你家有几口人，都有谁（用代词和"的"）；（2）你的房间里有什么东西（用"数词＋量词＋名词"，至少四样）；（3）你最喜欢房间里的什么，为什么。请用中文（汉字）书写，约130-150字，用连接词把内容展开，至少用一次"每……都"。（16分）
这是一段口语角色扮演（Role Play）。情境：你在中国的一家商店买东西。你（考生）扮演顾客，老师扮演售货员。请你用中文完成下面的任务，注意每次说到数量都要用正确的量词： （1）说你想买两样东西（例如：一本书和一件衣服）； （2）问其中一样东西多少钱； （3）回答售货员一个关于你要买几个/几件的问题； （4）向售货员提一个问题（例如：可不可以打折，或者在哪儿付钱）； （5）礼貌地感谢并结束对话。（约10分）
