件
measure word for clothing, matters, items
jiàn
What does 件 mean?
件 (jiàn) is a high-frequency Chinese measure word (classifier) that English doesn't translate directly — it sits between a number and certain nouns to count them. Use 件 mainly for: (1) upper-body clothing — 一件衣服 (a piece of clothing), 一件衬衫 (a shirt), 一件外套 (a coat); (2) abstract 'matters / affairs' — 一件事 (one matter / one thing to handle), 一件大事 (a big deal), 三件事 (three things on my agenda); (3) certain individual items, especially luggage and packages — 一件行李 (one piece of luggage). Important pairings to remember: pants/skirts/shoes are NOT counted with 件 — pants take 条 (一条裤子), shoes take 双 (一双鞋). Books take 本, cars take 辆. Mastering measure words is one of the harder parts of beginner Chinese because they're noun-specific; 件 is one of the first three or four you learn after 个.
Character breakdown
item; piece; document (the 亻 person radical on the left + 牛 'ox' historically related to itemizing tribute/possessions)
Memory hook: Think of 件 as 'a piece of' — a piece of clothing, a piece of business, a piece of luggage.
Example sentences
我买了一件新衣服。
Wǒ mǎi le yí jiàn xīn yīfu.
I bought a new piece of clothing.
neutral
我有一件事想跟你说。
Wǒ yǒu yí jiàn shì xiǎng gēn nǐ shuō.
There's something I'd like to talk to you about.
spoken
这件衣服多少钱？
Zhè jiàn yīfu duōshao qián?
How much is this piece of clothing?
spoken
他送了我一件很贵的礼物。
Tā sòng le wǒ yí jiàn hěn guì de lǐwù.
He gave me a very expensive gift.
neutral
我只有一件行李。
Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yí jiàn xíngli.
I only have one piece of luggage.
spoken
Common phrases with 件
Synonyms
个 is the universal default measure word — beginners can sometimes get away with using it for 'matters' (一个事), but native speakers prefer 件 for 事, clothing, and packages. 件 sounds more correct and educated for those nouns.
条 is for long, thin things — pants (裤子), skirts (裙子), fish (鱼), rivers (河). Don't use 件 for these. 一件裤子 is wrong; 一条裤子 is right.
Don't confuse 件 with
见 ('to see / meet,' as in 再见 'goodbye') sounds identical and looks similar but is a verb, not a measure word. 件 has the 亻 person radical on the left.
条 is the measure word for long, thin items (pants, fish, rivers). 件 is for clothing tops, matters, and packages. Confusing them is one of the most common HSK 2 mistakes.
本 is the measure word for books and bound volumes. 一件书 is wrong; 一本书 is right. Each Chinese noun has its 'correct' measure word — you have to learn the pairings.