n., m.
The facial cavity used for eating, speaking, and breathing. Any opening or entrance (doorway, cave mouth); measure word for family members ("mouths to feed") or bites/sips of food.
口
Common Usage & Traps
- 一口茶 — a sip of tea
- 一口水 — a sip of water
- 一口饭 — a bite of food
- 喝一口 — take a sip
- 吃一口 — take a bite
- 三口人 — three people in a family
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一口苹果 (as 'one whole apple')一个苹果口 counts a bite or sip, not a whole item. Use 个 for one whole apple.
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商店里有三口人商店里有三个人口 counts family members in a household. For random people in a place, use 个.
Does 第一口热茶 mean 'the first mouth of hot tea'?
No. 口 counts a sip or bite, so 第一口热茶 means the first sip of hot tea.
口 here is a counting word for what goes into your mouth. It works like 'sip' or 'bite' in English. So 第一口热茶 is the first sip of hot tea, not a body part. The same pattern appears in 喝一口水 and 吃一口饭. If you mean a whole apple, use 个: 一个苹果, not 一口苹果.
“老先生坐在七号桌子前，喝了第一口热茶。” (The elderly gentleman sits in front of table number seven and takes the first sip of hot tea.)
“老先生坐在七号桌子前，喝了第一口热茶。” (The elderly gentleman sits in front of table number seven and takes the first sip of hot tea.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 第一口热茶 = first sip of hot tea | 第一口热茶 = first mouth of hot tea |
| Portion | 喝一口水 / 吃一口饭 | 喝一个水 / 吃一个饭 for a sip or bite |
| Whole item | 一个苹果 = one whole apple | 一口苹果 = one whole apple |
| Word role | 口 = sip/bite counter | 口 = mouth body part here |
Why do people say 我家有三口人?
口 counts family members in a household, like 'mouths to feed'.
Here 口 counts people who live and eat together as a family. It carries the flavor of 'mouths to feed' in a household. So 我家有三口人 means my family has three people. 我家有三个人 is also fine, but it sounds more general. Use 口 when you want that family-unit feeling, not for random people in a shop.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Family count | 我家有三口人 | 我家有三个口人 |
| Random people | 商店里有三个人 | 商店里有三口人 |
| Tone | sounds like a family unit | sounds like counting mouths in a shop |
| Meaning | three mouths to feed | three literal mouths |
Featured in Story Deep Dive
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
- Scene #1
老先生坐在七号桌子前，喝了第一 口 热茶。
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