个
general measure word
gè
What does 个 mean?
个 (gè) is the most common measure word in Chinese — the one you use between a number/demonstrative and a noun when no more specific measure word fits. 三个人 'three people,' 这个 'this one,' 那个苹果 'that apple.' Mandarin requires a measure word between a number and a noun (you can't say 三人 in modern speech the way you can say 'three people' in English), and 个 is the default.
Two things to know: first, 个 is often pronounced in the neutral tone (ge) in fast speech even though its citation tone is fourth (gè); second, 个 is the universal fallback, but every noun has a 'correct' measure word — 一只猫 'one cat,' 一本书 'one book,' 一杯水 'one cup of water.' Using 一个猫 is comprehensible but marks you as a beginner.
Note: 个 is the safest fallback, but in formal writing or careful speech, learners should use the specific measure word: 一本书 (book), 一只猫 (cat), 一辆车
Character breakdown
individual; piece; the generic measure word (simplified form of 個)
Memory hook: 个 looks like a single person standing under a roof — one individual, one count, one 'piece.'
Example sentences
我有一个哥哥。
Wǒ yǒu yī gè gēge.
I have one older brother.
neutral
这个多少钱？
Zhège duōshǎo qián?
How much is this one?
spoken
请给我那个。
Qǐng gěi wǒ nàge.
Please give me that one.
polite
他有三个孩子。
Tā yǒu sān gè háizi.
He has three children.
neutral
Common phrases with 个
Synonyms
Don't confuse 个 with
FAQ
Acquire by listening
Hear 个 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
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