Common Usage & Traps
- 一件衣服 — one piece of clothing
- 一件事 — one matter / thing
- 一件礼物 — one gift
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一个衣服一件衣服衣服 (clothing) is counted with 件, not the general measure word 个.
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一件人一个人People are counted with 个, not 件. 件 is for items, matters, or clothing.
件
Origin & Mnemonic:
To divide or separate something large into individual parts. An item, piece, matter, or measure word for clothes, events, and things. A person (亻) beside a cow (牛), dividing or counting the cattle into cut pieces.
When should I use 件 instead of 个?
Use 件 for clothing, matters, and items; use 个 as the general default for people and many objects.
件 is a specific measure word for pieces of clothing (衣服), matters or affairs (事), and sometimes luggage or gifts. 个 is the generic measure word that can be used for people, many objects, and abstract nouns when no specific measure word is required. Using 个 with 衣服 sounds unnatural; using 件 with 人 is wrong.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | 一件衣服 | 一个衣服 |
| Matter | 一件事 | 一个事 |
| Person | 一个人 | 一件人 |
| Gift | 一件礼物 | 一个礼物 (acceptable but less precise) |
Does 件 look like 牛?
件 has a person radical on the left; 牛 is just the cow character alone.
件 is composed of 亻 (person) and 牛 (cow). 牛 by itself means cow. The extra person radical on the left changes the meaning to a measure word for items. Remember: a person (亻) standing next to a cow (牛) counts the cow as one item — that's 件.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Character | 件 (jiàn) | 牛 (niú) |
| Meaning | measure word for items | cow |
| Radical | 亻 (person) | 牛 (cow) |
| Example | 一件衣服 | 一头牛 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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我找了 一件 衣服给他们。
This playful poem helps you count and practice vocabulary about clothes, students, and pets. Enjoy the rhythm while learning new words.
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一两件 新衣服，两三本汉语书。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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