Measure word finder

Measure word for history

历史 lì shǐ history HSK 3

  • 一段历史 yí duàn lìshǐ

    段 duàn · For sections, passages and stretches of time or road

  • 一部历史 yí bù lìshǐ

    部 bù · For films, books and vehicles

Also counted with 段

Type a noun in English, pinyin or Chinese.

    What is the measure word for history in Chinese?

    History is 历史 (lì shǐ), and its measure word is 段 or 部: one history is 一段历史. The dictionary also gives 部 (一部历史).

    What is a measure word?

    In Chinese a number can’t go straight before a noun: you say 一本书 (one “volume” of book), not 一书. The word in the middle is the measure word, or classifier. Each noun takes its own, often by its shape: 张 for flat things, 条 for long thin ones, 本 for books.

    What if I don’t know the measure word?

    个 (gè) works for people and most things, and native speakers use it a lot in speech. The right measure word sounds more natural, and some nouns never take 个.

    Why is 一 said yí here?

    一 is said yí before a fourth tone (一个 yí ge, 一件 yí jiàn) and yì before the other tones (一本 yì běn, 一张 yì zhāng).

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    Measure words from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0), for the official HSK word list. Speakers use others too.