Grammar reference
Number + 个 + Noun
Measure word 个 (gè) with numbers
Chinese nouns need a measure word between a number and the noun — you can't say 三书 for 'three books'; you need 三本书. 个 is the default, all-purpose measure word, used for people and many everyday objects when you don't know or don't need the specific one: 一个人 (one person), 两个苹果 (two apples). Note: 'two' before a measure word is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr) — 两个, not 二个.
Examples
- 我有两个哥哥。wǒ yǒu liǎng ge gē ge
I have two older brothers.
- 桌子上有三个苹果。zhuō zi shàng yǒu sān ge píng guǒ
There are three apples on the table.
- 这个人是谁？zhè ge rén shì shéi
Who is this person?
Common mistake
✗ Wrong: 我有二个朋友。
✓ Right: 我有两个朋友。
Before a measure word, 'two' is always 两 (liǎng), never 二 (èr) — 二 is only used in counting itself (一, 二, 三...) or numbers like 二十 (twenty).
Practice this pattern
Fill in the missing character:
我有两＿哥哥。
I have two older brothers.