個

See also: 个

個 U+500B, 個 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-500B ← 倊 [U+500A] CJK Unified Ideographs 倌 → [U+500C]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

個 (radical 9, 人+8, 10 strokes, cangjie input 人田十口 (OWJR), four-corner 2620₀, composition ⿰亻固)

Derived characters

• 嗰(𠮶), 𬚅

References

• KangXi: page 107, character 17
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 758
• Dae Jaweon: page 228, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 178, character 3
• Unihan data for U+500B

---

Chinese

trad.		個/箇
simp.		个

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (古) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
箇	*kaːls
個	*kaːls
居	*kɯ, *kas
橭	*kaː, *kʰaː
嫴	*kaː
姑	*kaː
辜	*kaː
酤	*kaː, *kaːs, *ɡaːʔ
蛄	*kaː
鴣	*kaː
沽	*kaː, *kaːʔ, *kaːs
盬	*kaː, *kaːʔ
古	*kaːʔ
罟	*kaːʔ
估	*kaːʔ
鈷	*kaːʔ
詁	*kaːʔ
牯	*kaːʔ
故	*kaːs
固	*kaːs
稒	*kaːɡs
痼	*kaːɡs
錮	*kaːɡs
鯝	*kaːɡs
棝	*kaːɡs
凅	*kaːɡs
枯	*kʰaː
軲	*kʰaː
跍	*kʰaː
骷	*kʰaː
苦	*kʰaːʔ, *kʰaːs
葫	*qʰaː, *ɡaː
餬	*ɡaː
瑚	*ɡaː
湖	*ɡaː
鶘	*ɡaː
猢	*ɡaː
醐	*ɡaː
糊	*ɡaː
箶	*ɡaː
蝴	*ɡaː
胡	*ɡaː
瓳	*ɡaː
怙	*ɡaːʔ
祜	*ɡaːʔ
岵	*ɡaːʔ
婟	*ɡaːʔ, *ɡaːɡs
楛	*ɡaːʔ
据	*ka
裾	*ka
琚	*ka
椐	*ka, *kas, *kʰa
鶋	*ka
蜛	*ka
崌	*ka
涺	*ka
腒	*ka, *ɡa
鋸	*kas
倨	*kas
踞	*kas
涸	*ɡaːɡ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *kaːls): semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 固 (OC *kaːs).

Etymology

The semantics may have developed along the grammaticalisation process "bamboo stalk" (箇) > "piece, item" > "classifier for every category of noun" > "possessive particle, generic particle". If so, it would then possibly be cognate with 竿 (OC *kaːn, “bamboo, rod”). Compare Tibetan མཁར་བ (mkhar ba), འཁར་བ ('khar ba, “walking stick, staff”) and Thai ก้าน (gâan, “stem, stalk”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): gè, ge, gě (ge⁴, ge⁵, ge³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄜˋ, ˙ㄍㄜ, ㄍㄜˇ

  (Chengdu, SP): go⁴

  (Dungan, Cyrillic): гә (gə, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): go³

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): goi¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): go⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ke / kai

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gê⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): ge³
• Min Bei (KCR): gŏ̤
• Min Dong (BUC): gó̤ / gá
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): kò / ê / gê / lê

  (Teochew, Peng'im): go⁶ / gai⁵ / gai⁷

• Wu (Wiktionary): geq (T5); hheq (T5); eq (T4); ku (T2)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): go⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: gè
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄜˋ
    • Wade–Giles: ko4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: geh
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gè
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤ⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: ge
    • Zhuyin: ˙ㄍㄜ
    • Wade–Giles: ko5
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .ge
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ge̊
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /g̊ə/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: gě
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄜˇ
    • Wade–Giles: ko3
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gee
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gě
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤ²¹⁴/

Note:

• ge - classifier;
• gě - colloquial, used in 自個兒.

• (Chengdu)
  • Sichuanese Pinyin: go⁴
  • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: go
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko²¹³/
• (Dungan)
  • Cyrillic: гә (gə, I)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kə²⁴/

  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

Cantonese

• (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  • Jyutping: go³
  • Yale: go
  • Cantonese Pinyin: go³
  • Guangdong Romanization: go³
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔː³³/
• (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  • Wiktionary: goi¹
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kᵘɔi³³/

Gan

• (Nanchang)
  • Wiktionary: go⁴
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko³⁵/

Hakka

• (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ke / kai
  • Hakka Romanization System: ge / gai
  • Hagfa Pinyim: ge⁴ / gai⁴
  • Sinological IPA: /ke⁵⁵/, /kai̯⁵⁵/
• (Meixian)
  • Guangdong: gê⁴
  • Sinological IPA: /ke⁵³/

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: ge³
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kɤ⁴⁵/

Min Bei

• (Jian'ou)
  • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gŏ̤
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔ²⁴/

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: gó̤ / gá
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔ²¹³/, /kɑ²¹³/

Note:

• gó̤ - literary;
• gá - classifier.

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kò
  • Tâi-lô: kò
  • Phofsit Daibuun: koix
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /ko⁴¹/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /ko²¹/
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kɤ²¹/
  • IPA (Taipei): /ko¹¹/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ê
  • Tâi-lô: ê
  • Phofsit Daibuun: ee
  • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /e²⁴/
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /e¹³/
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /e²³/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gê
  • Tâi-lô: gê
  • Phofsit Daibuun: gee
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /ɡe²⁴/
• (Hokkien: Penang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lê
  • Tâi-lô: lê
  • Phofsit Daibuun: lee
  • IPA (Penang): /le²³/

Note:

• kò - literary (including classifier for months);
• ê/gê - generic classifier;
• ê - possessive particle (usually written as 的).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: go⁶ / gai⁵ / gai⁷
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kŏ / kâi / kāi
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko³⁵/, /kai⁵⁵/, /kai¹¹/

Note:

• go6 - literary;
• gai5 - classifier, or particle introducing the object of the verb (equivalent to 把);
• gai7 - possessive particle.

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: geq (T5); hheq (T5); eq (T4); ku (T2)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɡ̊əʔ¹²/, /ɦəʔ¹²/, /əʔ⁵⁵/, /kv̩ʷ³⁴/

Note:

• 5geq ~ 5hheq ~ 4eq - classifier or particle;
• 2ku - literary.

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: go⁴
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko⁴⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: /kɑ^H/

Rime
Character	個
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	歌 (94)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古賀切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɑH/
Pan Wuyun	/kɑH/
Shao Rongfen	/kɑH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kaH/
Li Rong	/kɑH/
Wang Li	/kɑH/
Bernard Karlgren	/kɑH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gè

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*kˤa[r]-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kaːls/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	個
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gè
Middle Chinese	‹ kaH ›
Old Chinese	/*kˁa[r]-s/
English	piece, item
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	個
Reading #	1/1
No.	4208
Phonetic component	古
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	箇
Old Chinese	/*kaːls/
Notes	見儀禮鄭注

Definitions

個

1. piece; item; individual

   個人 / 个人  ―  gèrén  ―  an individual; personal

   個體 / 个体  ―  gètǐ  ―  individuality

2. height; build; stature

   個子 / 个子  ―  gèzi  ―  height; stature

   個兒 / 个儿  ―  gèr  ―  size

3. separate; respective; separately; individually

   個別 / 个别  ―  gèbié  ―  individual; separate; some; a couple of

4. single; alone
5. (dialectal Hakka, dialectal Min, dialectal Wu) one
6. The generic classifier for people or for things lacking specific classifiers.

   一個人 / 一个人  ―  yī gè rén  ―  one person

   每個人 / 每个人  ―  měi gè rén  ―  every person; everyone

   我有一個問題。 / 我有一个问题。  ―  Wǒ yǒu yī gè wèntí.  ―  I have a question.

   兩個人 / 两个人 [Taiwanese Hokkien]  ―  nn̄g ê lâng [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  two people

   住響你屋企個陳先生係邊度人嚟㗎？ [Guangzhou Cantonese, trad.]
   住响你屋企个陈先生系边度人嚟㗎？ [Guangzhou Cantonese, simp.]

   zyu⁶ hoeng² nei⁵ uk¹ kei⁵ go³ can⁴ sin¹ saang¹ hai⁶ bin¹ dou⁶ jan⁴ lai⁴ gaa³? [Jyutping]

   Where is that Mr. Chan who lives at your house from?

7. Classifier for hours and months.

   一個鐘頭 / 一个钟头  ―  yī gè zhōngtóu  ―  one hour

   九個月 / 九个月  ―  jiǔ gè yuè  ―  nine months

   三個月 / 三个月 [Taiwanese Hokkien]  ―  saⁿ kò goe̍h [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  three months

8. Alternative classifier, for nouns having specific classifiers. Often colloquial and regional. Usage varies greatly between different topolects.

   一個學校 / 一个学校  ―  yī gè xuéxiào  ―  one school

   一個井 / 一个井 [Guangzhou Cantonese]  ―  jat¹ go³ zeng² [Jyutping]  ―  a well

   一個房 / 一个房 [Guangzhou Cantonese]  ―  jat¹ go³ fong^4-2 [Jyutping]  ―  a room

9. (Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew, Puxian Min, Wenzhou Wu) Classifier for money: yuan, dollar; buck

   三個九毫九 / 三个九毫九 [Cantonese]  ―  saam¹ go³ gau² hou⁴ gau² [Jyutping]  ―  three dollars and ninety-nine cents

   八個六 / 八个六 [Cantonese]  ―  baat³ go³ luk⁶ [Jyutping]  ―  eight dollars and sixty cents

   個半十隻檸檬 [Cantonese, trad.]
   个半十只柠檬 [Cantonese, simp.]

   go³ bun³ sap⁶ zek³ ning⁴ mung^4-1 [Jyutping]

   ten lemons for a dollar and a half

   三個銀 / 三个银 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  sâm ke ngiùn [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  three dollars

   兩斤五個 / 两斤五个 [Teochew]  ―  no⁶ geng¹ ngou⁶ gai⁵ [Peng'im]  ―  two catties for five dollars

   個銀三粒 / 个银三粒 [Teochew]  ―  gai⁵ ngeng⁵ san¹ liab⁸ [Peng'im]  ―  three for a buck

10. (Cantonese, slang) Classifier for money: ten thousand yuan, dollars, etc.

    佢爭人十個。 / 佢争人十个。 [Cantonese]  ―  keoi⁵ caang¹ jan⁴ sap⁶ go³. [Jyutping]  ―  He owes them a hundred grand.

11. (Mandarin, colloquial) Particle, placed between a verb and numbers, showing that the following numbers are approximate, not accurate.

    他一下跑個兩三公里都不在話下。 [MSC, trad.]
    他一下跑个两三公里都不在话下。 [MSC, simp.]

    Tā yīxià pǎo gè liǎng sān gōnglǐ dōu bùzàihuàxià. [Pinyin]

    Running two or three kilometers in one go is a piece of cake for him.

    他們倆就差個一兩歲。 [MSC, trad.]
    他们俩就差个一两岁。 [MSC, simp.]

    Tāmen liǎ jiù chà gè yī liǎng suì. [Pinyin]

    The age difference between them is only about one or two years.

12. (Mandarin, Cantonese, colloquial) Particle, placed between a verb and its object or complement, adding a sense of ease, swiftness and one-offness to the action.

    吃個飯，洗個澡，休息休息 [MSC, trad.]
    吃个饭，洗个澡，休息休息 [MSC, simp.]

    chī gè fàn, xǐ ge zǎo, xiūxi xiūxi [Pinyin]

    have a meal, take a shower and have some rest

    我們昨天見了個面，聊了聊近況。 [MSC, trad.]
    我们昨天见了个面，聊了聊近况。 [MSC, simp.]

    Wǒmen zuótiān jiàn le gè miàn, liáo le liáo jìnkuàng. [Pinyin]

    We met yesterday, and chatted about how we've been recently.

13. (Mandarin, colloquial) Particle used after 些 (xiē).

    那些個年的事現在回憶起來還是記憶猶新。 [MSC, trad.]
    那些个年的事现在回忆起来还是记忆犹新。 [MSC, simp.]

    Nàxiē gè nián de shì xiànzài huíyì qǐlái háishì jìyìyóuxīn. [Pinyin]

    It feels like yesterday when I reminisce about those stories in the past.

14. (dialectal Mandarin) Particle used in some time-related words.

    今兒個 / 今儿个  ―  jīnrge  ―  (dialectal) today

15. (literary or Wu, Xiang, Gan, dialectal Cantonese, dialectal Min) (= 搿) this; that

    個個人 / 个个人 [Shanghainese]  ―  this person

    個隻鴨子勿太酥 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    个只鸭子勿太酥 [Shanghainese, simp.]

    This duck hasn't been cooked long enough for it to become tender.

16. (Cantonese, Wu) Word-initial particle, serving as the definite article.

    個人今朝為啥勿來 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    个人今朝为啥勿来 [Shanghainese, simp.]

    Why hasn't that guy come today?

17. (dialectal Cantonese, Hakka, Wu, Teochew, Hainanese) Possessive particle. Equivalent to Mandarin 的 (de).

    → 嘅 (ge3) (Cantonese), 格 (kaq) (Wu), 的 (ê) (Hokkien)

    我個小囡 / 我个小囡 [Shanghainese]  ―  my child

    客家個精神 / 客家个精神 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  hak-kâ ke chîn-sṳ̀n [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  the Hakka spirit

18. (dialectal) Sentence-final declarative, affirmative, or prohibitive particle. Equivalent to Mandarin 的 (de), 了 (le).

    標語勿是我寫個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    标语勿是我写个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

    I didn't write that slogan.

19. (often dialectal) Emphatic particle between a pronoun and a noun, usually to highlight some negative quality of the person.

    你個笨蛋！ / 你个笨蛋！  ―  Nǐ gè bèndàn!  ―  You idiot!

    佢個人好懶。 / 佢个人好懒。 [Cantonese]  ―  keoi⁵ go³ jan⁴ hou² laan⁵. [Jyutping]  ―  He/she is such a sluggard.

Usage notes

• For Min Nan, Taiwan's Ministry of Education recommends 个 for the general classifier ê and 的 for the possessive particle ê, reserving 個 for the month classifier kò.
• For Hakka, Taiwan's Ministry of Education recommends 个 for the possessive particle.
• In Cantonese, when used for "yuan/dollar", 個 is usually only used when followed by cents.

Synonyms

• (height):

edit

Synonyms of 個

• 個子／个子 (gèzi) (chiefly refers to height)
• 個頭／个头 (gètóu) (chiefly refers to height)
• 漢草／汉草 (Min Nan)
• 身材 (shēncái)

• 身架子 (Jin)
• 身段 (shēnduàn) (of a woman)
• 身胚 (Hakka)

• 體型／体型 (tǐxíng)
• 體形／体形 (tǐxíng)
• 體態／体态 (tǐtài) (including posture)

• (classifier for people):

Dialectal synonyms of 個 (“generic classifier for people”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		個
Mandarin	Beijing	個
	Taiwan	個
	Muping	個
	Jinan	個
	Luoyang	個
	Xi'an	個
	Yinchuan	個
	Xining	個
	Ürümqi	個
	Wuhan	個
	Chengdu	個
	Guiyang	個
	Guilin	個
	Xuzhou	個
	Yangzhou	個
	Nanjing	個
	Hefei	個
	Malaysia	個
	Singapore	個
Cantonese	Guangzhou	個
	Hong Kong	個
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	個
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	個
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	個
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	隻
	Macau	個
	Panyu	個
	Huadu (Huashan)	個
	Conghua	個
	Zengcheng	個
	Foshan	個
	Nanhai (Shatou)	個
	Shunde	個
	Sanshui	個
	Gaoming (Mingcheng)	個
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	個
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	個
	Doumen (Shangheng Tanka)	個
	Doumen	個
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	個
	Xinhui	個
	Taishan	個
	Kaiping (Chikan)	個
	Enping (Niujiang)	個
	Heshan (Yayao)	個
	Dongguan	個
	Bao'an (Shajing)	個
	Yangjiang	個
	Nanning	個, 隻
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	個
	Singapore (Guangfu)	個
Gan	Nanchang	個, 隻
	Lichuan	個
	Pingxiang	個
Hakka	Meixian	隻
	Xingning	隻
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	隻
	Huizhou (Shuikou Bendihua)	隻
	Huizhou (Hengli Bendihua)	隻
	Huiyang	隻
	Huidong (Pingshan Bendihua)	隻
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	隻
	Longmen (Pingling Bendihua)	隻
	Longmen (Luxi Bendihua)	隻
	Boluo (Bendihua)	隻
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	隻
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	隻
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	隻
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	隻
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	隻
	Wuhua (Changbu)	隻
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	隻
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	隻
	Zijin (Guzhu Bendihua)	隻
	Longchuan (Tuocheng Bendihua)	隻
	Heping (Linzhai Bendihua)	隻
	Lianping (Zhongxin Bendihua)	隻
	Lianping (Longjie Bendihua)	隻
	Wengyuan	隻, 個
	Xinfeng (Matou Bendihua)	隻, 個
	Xinfeng (Daxi Bendihua)	個
	Liannan	個
	Conghua (Lütian)	隻
	Jiexi	個, 儕
	Luhe	隻
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	個
	Changting	個
	Wuping (Yanqian)	個
	Ninghua	個
	Yudu	個
	Ningdu	隻
	Tonggu (Sandu)	個
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	個
	Dayu	個
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	儕
	Liudui (S. Sixian)	儕
	Hsinchu (Hailu)	儕
	Dongshi (Dabu)	儕
	Hsinchu (Raoping)	儕
	Yunlin (Zhao'an)	儕
	Hong Kong	隻
	Yangxi (Tangkou)	隻
	Yangchun (Sanjia)	隻
	Xinyi (Sihe)	隻
	Xinyi (Qianpai)	隻
	Gaozhou (Xindong)	隻
	Dianbai (Shalang)	隻
	Huazhou (Xin'an)	隻
	Lianjiang (Shijiao)	隻
	Lianjiang (Qingping)	隻
	Mengshan (Xihe)	隻
	Luchuan	隻
	Sabah (Longchuan)	隻
	Senai (Huiyang)	隻
	Batu Kawa (Sungai Tapang)	個
	Singkawang	隻
Huizhou	Jixi	個
Jin	Taiyuan	個
	Xinzhou	個
Min Bei	Jian'ou	隻
	Songxi	隻
	Zhenghe	隻
	Jianyang	隻
	Wuyishan	隻
Min Dong	Fuzhou	隻, 個
	Changle	隻
	Lianjiang	隻
	Fuqing	隻
	Pingtan	隻
	Yongtai	隻
	Minqing	隻, 基
	Gutian	隻
	Fu'an	隻
	Ningde	隻
	Xiapu	隻
	Zherong	隻
	Shouning	個
	Zhouning	隻
	Fuding	個
Min Nan	Xiamen	個
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	個
	Quanzhou	個
	Jinjiang	個
	Nan'an	個
	Shishi	個
	Hui'an	個
	Anxi	個
	Yongchun	個
	Dehua	個
	Zhangzhou	個
	Longhai	個
	Changtai	個
	Hua'an	股
	Nanjing	股
	Pinghe	個
	Zhangpu	個
	Yunxiao	個
	Zhao'an	股
	Dongshan	個
	Taipei	個
	Kaohsiung	個
	Tainan	個
	Taichung	個
	Wuqi	個
	Hsinchu	個
	Taitung	個
	Lukang	個
	Sanxia	個
	Yilan	個
	Kinmen	個
	Magong	個
	Penang (Hokkien)	個
	Singapore (Hokkien)	個
	Manila (Hokkien)	個
	Longyan	個
	Zhangping	個
	Datian	個
	Chaozhou	個
	Shantou	個, 腳
	Chenghai	個
	Jieyang	個, 腳
	Haifeng	個
	Bangkok (Teochew)	個
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	個
	Singapore (Teochew)	個
	Leizhou	個
	Wenchang	個, 枚
	Haikou	個, 枚
	Singapore (Hainanese)	個
Puxian Min	Putian	個
	Xianyou	個
Min Zhong	Yong'an	隻
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	個
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	個
Shehua	Fu'an	個
	Fuding	個
	Luoyuan	個
	Sanming	個
	Shunchang	個
	Hua'an	個
	Guixi (Zhangping)	個
	Cangnan	個
	Jingning	個
	Lishui	個
	Longyou	個
	Chaozhou	個
	Fengshun	個
Wu	Shanghai	個
	Chongming	個
	Suzhou	個
	Danyang	個
	Ningbo	個
	Wenzhou	個
	Jinhua	個
Xiang	Changsha	個, 隻
	Shuangfeng	個
	Loudi	個

• (possessive particle):

Dialectal synonyms of 的 (“possessive particle”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		之
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		的
Mandarin	Beijing	的
	Taiwan	的
	Chengdu	的
	Guilin	的
	Malaysia	的
	Singapore	的
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	的
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	的
	Pematangsiantar	的
Cantonese	Guangzhou	嘅 †
	Hong Kong	嘅 †
	Macau	嘅 †
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	個, 嘅
	Taishan	個
	Beihai	個
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	個
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	嘅
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	個
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	嘅
	Penang (Guangfu)	嘅
	Singapore (Guangfu)	嘅
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	嘅
	Móng Cái	個
Gan	Nanchang	個
Hakka	Meixian	個
	Wuhua (Meilin)	個
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	個
	Liudui (S. Sixian)	個
	Hsinchu (Hailu)	個
	Dongshi (Dabu)	個
	Hsinchu (Raoping)	個
	Yunlin (Zhao'an)	個
Huizhou	Jixi	仂
Jin	Taiyuan	的
Jiuxing Yumin	Lanxi	個
Min Bei	Jian'ou	個
Min Dong	Fuzhou	其
Min Nan	Xiamen	個
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	個
	Quanzhou	個
	Zhangzhou	個
	Zhao'an	個
	Dongshan	個
	Taipei	個
	Kaohsiung	個
	Tainan	個
	Penang (Hokkien)	個
	Singapore (Hokkien)	個
	Manila (Hokkien)	個
	Chaozhou	個 †
	Shantou	個 †
	Jieyang	個 †
	Haifeng	個
	Singapore (Teochew)	個 †
	Leizhou	個
	Wenchang	個
	Singapore (Hainanese)	個
Puxian Min	Xianyou	兮
Min Zhong	Yong'an	兮
Northern Pinghua	Lingui (Liutang)	嘅
Wu	Shanghai	個
	Suzhou	個
	Wenzhou	個
Xiang	Changsha	的
Note	† - may use corresponding classifier in certain contexts

• (yuan; dollar):

Dialectal synonyms of 元 (“yuan; dollar”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		圓, 元
Mandarin	Beijing	塊
	Taiwan	塊
	Harbin	塊
	Muping	塊
	Jinan	塊
	Luoyang	塊
	Wanrong	塊
	Xi'an	塊
	Yinchuan	塊
	Lanzhou	塊
	Xining	塊
	Ürümqi	塊
	Wuhan	塊
	Chengdu	塊
	Guiyang	塊
	Guilin	塊
	Liuzhou	塊
	Wuming	塊
	Shanglin (Sanli)	塊
	Xuzhou	塊
	Yangzhou	塊
	Nanjing	塊
	Hefei	塊
	Malaysia	塊
	Singapore	塊
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蚊, 蚊雞, 雞士, 個, 銀
	Hong Kong	蚊, 蚊雞, 雞士, 個, 銀
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	蚊
	Macau	蚊
	Panyu	蚊
	Huadu (Huashan)	蚊
	Conghua	蚊
	Zengcheng	蚊
	Foshan	蚊
	Nanhai (Shatou)	文
	Shunde	蚊
	Sanshui	蚊雞
	Gaoming (Mingcheng)	蚊雞
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	蚊
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	蚊
	Doumen (Shangheng Tanka)	蚊
	Doumen	蚊
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	蚊
	Xinhui	蚊
	Taishan	蚊
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蚊
	Enping (Niujiang)	蚊
	Heshan (Yayao)	蚊
	Dongguan	蚊, 蚊雞
	Bao'an (Shajing)	蚊
	Qingyuan	蚊
	Fogang	蚊
	Yingde (Hanguang)	蚊
	Yangshan	蚊
	Lianshan (Butian)	蚊
	Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)	蚊
	Shaoguan	蚊
	Qujiang	蚊
	Renhua	蚊雞
	Lechang	蚊
	Gaoyao	蚊
	Sihui	蚊雞
	Deqing	蚊
	Huaiji	蚊
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	蚊
	Yunfu	蚊
	Xinxing	蚊
	Luoding	蚊
	Yunan (Pingtai)	蚊
	Yangjiang	蚊, 個
	Lianjiang	蚊
	Nanning	蚊
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	蚊
	Beihai	蚊
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	蚊
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	蚊
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	蚊
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	箍, 蚊
	Penang (Guangfu)	蚊
	Singapore (Guangfu)	蚊
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	蚊
	Móng Cái	蚊
Gan	Nanchang	塊
	Lichuan	塊
	Pingxiang	塊
Hakka	Meixian	塊
	Yudu	塊
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	個
	Liudui (S. Sixian)	個
	Hsinchu (Hailu)	個
	Dongshi (Dabu)	個
	Hsinchu (Raoping)	個
	Yunlin (Zhao'an)	銀, 箍
	Hong Kong	塊
	Sabah (Longchuan)	箍
	Senai (Huiyang)	箍
	Singkawang	盾
Huizhou	Jixi	塊
Jin	Taiyuan	塊
	Xinzhou	塊
Min Bei	Jian'ou	塊
Min Dong	Fuzhou	塊
	Fuqing	塊
	Matsu	塊
Min Nan	Xiamen	箍
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	箍
	Quanzhou	箍
	Zhangzhou	箍
	Zhao'an	箍
	Dongshan	箍
	Taipei	箍
	Kaohsiung	箍
	Tainan	箍
	Taichung	箍
	Hsinchu	箍
	Lukang	箍
	Sanxia	箍
	Yilan	箍
	Kinmen	箍
	Magong	箍
	Penang (Hokkien)	箍
	Singapore (Hokkien)	箍
	Manila (Hokkien)	箍
	Chaozhou	銀, 箍, 個, 個銀
	Shantou	銀, 個, 箍 dated, 個銀
	Chenghai	銀
	Jieyang	個, 個銀
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	箍
	Singapore (Teochew)	箍, 個銀
	Leizhou	個
	Wenchang	銀, 個
	Haikou	個銀, 銀
	Qionghai	銀
	Singapore (Hainanese)	箍
Puxian Min	Putian	個
	Xianyou	個
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	蚊, 蚊雞
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	塊
Wu	Shanghai	塊
	Chongming	塊
	Suzhou	塊
	Danyang	塊
	Hangzhou	塊
	Wenzhou	個
	Jinhua	塊
Xiang	Changsha	塊
	Shuangfeng	塊
	Loudi	塊
	Quanzhou	塊

Compounds

Derived terms

• 一個／一个 (yīgè)
• 一個勁兒／一个劲儿 (yīgejìnr)
• 一個子兒／一个子儿
• 一個樣兒／一个样儿
• 七個八個／七个八个
• 不是個兒／不是个儿
• 些個／些个 (xiēge)
• 今兒個／今儿个 (jīnrgè)
• 個中／个中 (gèzhōng)
• 個中三昧／个中三昧
• 個中人／个中人
• 個中滋味／个中滋味
• 個中道理／个中道理
• 個事／个事
• 個人／个人 (gèrén)
• 個人主義／个人主义 (gèrénzhǔyì)
• 個人外交／个人外交
• 個人所得／个人所得
• 個人撥接／个人拨接
• 個人本位／个人本位
• 個人秀／个人秀
• 個人衛生／个人卫生 (gèrén wèishēng)
• 個人資料／个人资料
• 個人電腦／个人电脑 (gèrén diànnǎo)
• 個人首頁／个人首页
• 個位／个位
• 個個／个个 (gègè)
• 個個稱羨／个个称羡
• 個兒／个儿 (gèr)
• 個別／个别 (gèbié)
• 個別差異／个别差异
• 個別輔導／个别辅导
• 個子／个子 (gèzi)
• 個展／个展 (gèzhǎn)
• 個性／个性 (gèxìng)
• 個性難改／个性难改
• 個把／个把
• 個數／个数 (gèshù)
• 個案／个案 (gè'àn)
• 個案分析／个案分析
• 個案研究／个案研究 (gè'àn yánjiū)
• 個樣／个样

• 個裡／个里
• 個頭／个头 (gètóu)
• 個體／个体 (gètǐ)
• 個體戶／个体户 (gètǐhù)
• 做的個／做的个
• 傍個影兒／傍个影儿
• 兩個聲／两个声 (liǎng gè shēng)
• 則個／则个
• 前兒個／前儿个 (qiánrge)
• 半個／半个 (bàn ge)
• 半個人／半个人
• 又弱一個／又弱一个
• 各個／各个 (gègè)
• 各個擊破／各个击破 (gègèjīpò)
• 單個兒／单个儿
• 噶個點兒／噶个点儿
• 四個堅持／四个坚持
• 夜兒個／夜儿个 (yèrge)
• 大個／大个
• 大個兒／大个儿
• 大個子／大个子
• 好個／好个
• 寧個／宁个
• 帶個好／带个好
• 幫個場子／帮个场子
• 幾個／几个 (jǐgè)
• 幾兒個／几儿个
• 成個兒／成个儿 (chénggèr)
• 打一個吞／打一个吞
• 打個前失／打个前失
• 打個千兒／打个千儿
• 打個問號／打个问号
• 打個沉兒／打个沉儿
• 打個照會／打个照会
• 打個照面／打个照面
• 打個花／打个花
• 挨個兒／挨个儿 (āigèr)
• 探個究竟／探个究竟
• 揀啊揀，揀著一個賣龍眼／揀啊揀，揀著一个賣龍眼／拣啊拣，拣着一个卖龙眼 (kéng--ah kéng, kéng-tio̍h chi̍t ê bē lêng-géng) (Hokkien)
• 撲個滿懷／扑个满怀
• 撲個空／扑个空
• 整個／整个 (zhěnggè)

• 有個好歹／有个好歹
• 有個屁用／有个屁用
• 有個數兒／有个数儿
• 有個說兒／有个说儿
• 某個／某个 (mǒugè)
• 比個高下／比个高下
• 比個高低／比个高低
• 沒個出豁／没个出豁
• 沒個是處／没个是处
• 沒個見識／没个见识
• 沒個開交／没个开交
• 滅不個／灭不个
• 滿好個／满好个
• 猛個勁／猛个劲
• 獨自個／独自个
• 發個兒／发个儿
• 看個究竟／看个究竟
• 真個／真个 (zhēngè)
• 矬個兒／矬个儿
• 矮個／矮个 (ǎigè)
• 矮個兒／矮个儿 (ǎigèr)
• 矮個子／矮个子 (ǎigèzi)
• 第一個／第一个 (dì-yī gè)
• 自個兒／自个儿 (zìgěr)
• 若個／若个
• 行個方便／行个方便
• 見個情／见个情
• 覷個意順／觑个意顺
• 討個分曉／讨个分晓
• 賠個不是／赔个不是
• 賣個破綻／卖个破绽
• 這個／这个 (zhège)
• 這個擋口／这个挡口
• 這個當兒／这个当儿
• 這個那個／这个那个
• 那個／那个 (nàge)
• 郎個／郎个
• 隔裡個裡／隔里个里
• 高個兒／高个儿
• 高個子／高个子
• 麥個子／麦个子

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (個):

• → Japanese: 個(こ) (ko)
• → Korean: 개 (個, gae)
• → Vietnamese: cá (個)

Others:

• → Vietnamese: cái

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Japanese

Kanji

個

(grade 5 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: か (ka)
• Kan-on: か (ka)
• Tō-on: こ (ko, Jōyō)

Counter

個(こ) • (-ko) 

1. item, article, thing

   あの枝(えだ)に桜(さくら)ん坊(ぼ)が十(じゅう)二(に)個(こ)だけあります。

   Ano eda ni sakuranbo ga jūni-ko dake arimasu.

   There are only twelve cherries on that branch.

Usage notes

This is one of the most common counter words in Japanese. It can be used to count small, round objects.

See also

Japanese number-counter combinations for 個(こ) (ko)
1	2	3	4	5
一(いっ)個(こ) (ikko)	二(に)個(こ) (niko)	三(さん)個(こ) (sanko)	四(よん)個(こ) (yonko)	五(ご)個(こ) (goko)
6	7	8	9	10
六(ろっ)個(こ) (rokko)	七(なな)個(こ) (nanako)	八(はっ)個(こ) (hakko)	九(きゅう)個(こ) (kyūko)	十(じゅっ)個(こ) (jukko)
100	1,000	10,000	How many?
百(ひゃっ)個(こ) (hyakko)	千(せん)個(こ) (senko)	一(いち)万(まん)個(こ) (ichimanko)	何(なん)個(こ) (nanko)

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Korean

Hanja

個 (eumhun 낱 개 (nat gae))

1. Hanja form^? of 개 (“a piece”).
2. Hanja form^? of .
3. Hanja form^? of .

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Vietnamese

Han character

References

• Nom Foundation