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Mandarin Measure Words — 量词

Ninth graders learn measure words (量词) — a distinctive Chinese feature. You can’t just say “two books”; you need a measure word: 两本书. Different nouns take different ones: 个, 只, 本, 杯, 张.

Grade 9Liàngcí55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / CommunicativeExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain measure words.
  • ✓Know the common ones.
  • ✓Match words to nouns.
  • ✓Count correctly.
Essential Question

In Chinese, you can’t say “two books” directly — you need a measure word in between! How do 量词 work?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Measure Word

Project this and match each Mandarin measure word to what it counts — tap the word, then tap its use.

🔢 Match each measure word to what it countsTry it
量词
What It Counts
Now tap its use!
The Lesson · Communicative Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Two What Books?

6 min

In Chinese you need a measure word between a number and a noun — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “two books.”
  • Show 两本书.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Notice.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Liàngcí

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present each measure word.
  • Say what it counts.
  • Note 个 is general.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Repeat.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Match Them

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Measure Word.
  • Match each one.
  • Use in a phrase.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Use it.
  • Explain.
4

Speak — Speak

15 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say “一只猫” (one cat).
  • Count objects.
  • Ask a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Count.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a measure word.
  • Say what it counts.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Low).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand measure words.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare counting systems.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to grammar.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: count things.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Measure-word cards.
  • Sentence frame: “一 ___ ___.”
  • Use countable objects.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with 个 and 只.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add 条 (long things).
  • Count ten objects.
  • Explain why 个 is safe.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🔢Measure-word cards
  • 💻Match the Measure Word
  • 🗣️Audio
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

量词 (liàngcí)measure word个 (gè)general measure word只 (zhī)for animals本 (běn)for books杯 (bēi)for cups张 (zhāng)for flat things条 (tiáo)for long things数 (shù)number
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What measure word counts animals?
只 (zhī) — e.g. 一只猫 (one cat).
QUESTION 2
What measure word counts books?
本 (běn) — e.g. 两本书 (two books).
QUESTION 3
Which measure word is the safe, general one?
个 (gè).

Reflect: 量词.

Have students say “one cat” (一只猫) and “two books” (两本书) with the right measure word. A printable measure-words sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Mandarin Measure Words (Liàngcí)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Mandarin Measure Words (Liàngcí)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Mandarin Measure Words (Liàngcí)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: 个 (gè), 只 (zhī), 张 (zhāng), 数 (shù), 本 (běn), 条 (tiáo), 杯 (bēi), 量词 (liàngcí)
  1. for books
  2. for flat things
  3. number
  4. for cups
  5. measure word
  6. general measure word
  7. for long things
  8. for animals

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What measure word counts animals?
  2. What measure word counts books?
  3. Which measure word is the safe, general one?
Answer key — Part A: 1) 本 (běn) · 2) 张 (zhāng) · 3) 数 (shù) · 4) 杯 (bēi) · 5) 量词 (liàngcí) · 6) 个 (gè) · 7) 条 (tiáo) · 8) 只 (zhī)
Part B: 1) 只 (zhī) — e.g. 一只猫 (one cat). 2) 本 (běn) — e.g. 两本书 (two books). 3) 个 (gè).