Chinese word

支

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhī

Meaning

  • measure wordclassifier for long objects

Example

他给了我一支笔。tā gěi le wǒ yì zhī bǐ

He gave me a pen.

Illustration for 支 (classifier for long objects)

More examples

桌上有两支铅笔。zhuō shàng yǒu liǎng zhī qiān bǐ

There are two pencils on the desk.

Core concept

A single long item held in the hand forms one clear counting unit.

Common phrases

  • 一支笔yì zhī bǐ

    one pen

  • 一支铅笔yì zhī qiān bǐ

    one pencil

  • 一支烟yì zhī yān

    one cigarette

Similar words

把bǎ: A measure word for a single grippable object or handled tool.
根gēn: A measure word for a single long object that is hard and stiff.
条tiáo: A measure word for a single flexible, elongated, or band-shaped item.
本běn: A measure word for a single book, magazine, or booklet.

Definition in Chinese

用作量词，用来按“支”计数，主要指可手持的细长物品的一件，如笔、香烟、口红等。yòng zuò liàng cí yòng lái àn zhī jì shù zhǔ yào zhǐ kě shǒu chí de xì cháng wù pǐn de yí jiàn rú bǐ xiāng yān kǒu hóng děng

Word origin

支 (zhī, "branch") began with the meaning of a branch, a natural model for one long piece, and later developed into a classifier for items such as pens and lipstick.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a number to connect directly to the noun, but Chinese often requires a classifier in the middle even when the object is familiar.

Related words

Word lists with this word