How to Learn Chinese Measure Words

1. Why Are Chinese Measure Words So Hard to Learn?

Many learners of Chinese have encountered this: 一头牛 (a cow), 一匹马 (a horse), 一只羊 (a sheep), and so on. Why are there so many measure words, and why is there no universal rule? In English, you can usually just add “a” before most nouns (like “a dog,” “a book”), but Chinese doesn’t work that way. The choice of measure word is often shaped by culture and historical language development, making it much more complex.

2. How Do Native Chinese People Learn Measure Words?

Here’s a fun fact: even native speakers don’t fully understand why certain measure words are used. For example, why “一匹马” (a horse) but “一头牛” (a cow)? Most people never look this up — they just use it naturally. So don’t worry about understanding everything at first. The most effective method is simple: memorize and use .

3. The Best Ways to Learn Measure Words

So how can we efficiently learn them? Here are three simple tips:

• ✅ Imitate before you understand: remember common patterns and use them.
• ✅ Learn by category: grouping by context makes memorization easier.
• ✅ Read, listen, and speak more: usage reinforces memory naturally.

4. Common Categories of Measure Words List

Here is a categorized list of the most common measure words used in daily life. We have added Pinyin to help you pronounce them correctly.