# There are three books



## maghanish2

你好!

I don't speak much Chinese, but I would appreciate it if you would tell me if this is correct!

There are three books = 有三個書．

I really hope it is correct.  The measure words always confused me!

謝謝！


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## sarahyo

應該是  有三*本*書
書都是用*本*的


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## Sylvier821016

things stringed  by a thread or  stick:串
big animal:头
small animal:只
animal have no leg:条  （fish,snake)
 building:幢  bridge，muntain:座  chair,bed:张


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## Sylvier821016

i think you can learn under different classification,such as:food,animal,furniture,electrical household,and so on.


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## maghanish2

Thank you!

So how would I say my original sentence then?  I thought taht 個 would work for any noun, but is that wrong?  If so, what does it work for?

Thanks again!


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## xiaolijie

@ maghanish2:

As someone already pointed out, it should be 有三*本*書, the measure word for book is *本.*

個 is the most general and most common measure word, and one practical advice I can give you is: when you don't know what other measure-word to use, use 個 to get by. Otherwise, learn by examples and imitation.


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## maghanish2

Okay, thankx xiaolijie.  I couldn't undersatnd his post, so I didn't know what he said.

All right, so if 個 is the most common and general measure word, would it still make sense in my sentence?  Or do I HAVE to use 本?


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## Wobby

You _should_ use '本' for books - it is the proper measure word. Just like we would say a 'pair' of jeans instead of just 'a jeans', or a 'pride' of lions instead of just a 'group' of lions, in Chinese there are specific measure words for certain things. Except in Chinese, they are used much more often than in English, and they are necessary for everything, so you are expected to use the correct ones... however, for obscure nouns that you don't know the measure word, you could get away with using 个 (個), it is preferable for you to learn the correct measure word for the correct noun. The reason is because 個 is the most common measure word for nouns, so it the best one to guess with. 

Besides, occasionally, it is just as important in English - the difference between being given _a_ cake, or a _piece_ of cake.


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## maghanish2

Okay, thanks Wobby, that helps a lot!  Especially comparing it to English.  So I would be understand if I used 個, but it's not a good idea?


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## Wobby

I think you probably would be understood, but it would probably sound as funny as 'a jeans' or 'a scissors' would to us! So if you want to sound good, it's best to learn the measure words with the words you learn...


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## maghanish2

Oh I see.  Haha, so it WOULD make sense but they would know that I wasn't very good at speaking Chinese?

Thanks for all your help!


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## the.yangist

maghanish2 said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So how would I say my original sentence then?  I thought taht 個 would work for any noun, but is that wrong?  If so, what does it work for?
> 
> Thanks again!



In every informal Chinese conversation I've ever heard or had (among Taiwanese and Mainlanders), they use 個 for everything.  "那個汽車..." is used in place of the more proper "那輛汽車," for instance.

My understanding is that it's a grammatical error that they allow when the measure word isn't known or when they just don't care enough to recall the correct one.


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## maghanish2

Really, the.yangist?  That is very interesting!  I realize we should still learn the correct measure words, but it's very comforting to know that even the natives don't follow the rules in informal situations.


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## the.yangist

maghanish2 said:


> Really, the.yangist?  That is very interesting!  I realize we should still learn the correct measure words, but it's very comforting to know that even the natives don't follow the rules in informal situations.



You still have to learn them, though.  My peer group may accept those disregards amongst themselves, but no older adult or professor will.


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## maghanish2

Yes, that is what I figured.  It's just like talking in slang in English.  It's fun and easy to use the shortcuts, but you can't get by in the "real world" with them!

Thanks again!  謝謝.


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## Sylvier821016

in my opinion,if thing like a ball or a ring,usually use 个，except pearl or like the pearl size.person also use  个,because person`s head like a ball,


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