Measure word for needle
针 zhēn needle HSK 6
一根针 yì gēn zhēn
根 gēn · For long thin objects
一枚针 yì méi zhēn
枚 méi · For small objects such as coins, medals, badges, stamps, missiles
Also counted with 根
Type a noun in English, pinyin or Chinese.
What is the measure word for needle in Chinese?
Needle is 针 (zhēn), and its measure word is 根 or 枚: one needle is 一根针. The dictionary also gives 枚 (一枚针).
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).
More free tools
How hard is this text?: a text’s HSK level and the words to learn first. Pinyin chart: every syllable, all four tones. Read any Mandarin: point at a word for its meaning.
Measure words from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0), for the official HSK word list. Speakers use others too.