RealHSK

HSK 2Lesson 3 of 13 · 5 grammar points

Measures and acting together

Measure words can count people, rooms, packages and action occurrences. The counted thing determines the choice. 一起 describes joint participation; it is more specific than saying every member independently does something.

Learning goals (5)
  • More noun classifiers.
  • Packages with 包.
  • Times with 次.
  • Strong degree and superlatives.
  • Together with 一起.

位

More noun classifiers

条 suits many long objects, 位 politely counts people, 间 counts rooms, and 名 counts people by role or identity.

教室里有三位老师。

Jiào shì lǐ yǒu sān wèi lǎo shī.

There are three teachers in the classroom.

More

一条路 a road; 一位老师 a teacher, politely; 一间房 a room; 一名学生 a student counted by role. Other classifiers can sometimes be possible, but the semantic and register choices may differ.

Pitfall: Classifier choice carries usage and sometimes politeness, not just plurality.

包

Packages with 包

Number+包+contents measures packets or bags. A physical bag as an object can instead require its own noun and classifier.

我买了两包茶。

Wǒ mǎi le liǎng bāo chá.

I bought two packets of tea.

More

Pitfall: 两包茶 counts packaged tea, not two cups of tea.

次

Times with 次

次 counts occurrences of an action. Distinguish action count from the number of objects involved.

我去过两次北京。

Wǒ qù guò liǎng cì běi jīng.

I have been to Beijing twice.

More

Pitfall: 两次 counts visits; 两天 counts duration.

多、好、最

Strong degree and superlatives

最 marks the highest degree within a comparison set. 好 and 多 can convey degree or an exclamatory evaluation in suitable contexts.

这本书最好。

Zhè běn shū zuì hǎo.

This book is the best.

More

最好 the best; 好冷 quite/so cold in an exclamation; 多好 how good; 多高 how tall in a question. Determine whether 多 is asking for degree or expressing it from the full utterance.

Pitfall: 最好 implies a relevant set; 很好 does not mean the best.

一起

Together with 一起

一起 before the predicate means participants act together. It does not merely assert that each performs the action separately.

我们一起去学校。

Wǒ men yī qǐ qù xué xiào.

We go to school together.

More

Pitfall: 都去 says everyone goes; 一起去 says they go together.

Source details (official syllabus)

  • More noun classifiers

    Syllabus item
    （1）专用名量词：条、位、间、名
    Category
    名量词
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L2-011
    PDF page
    389 (printed 386)

  • Packages with 包

    Syllabus item
    （2）借用名量词：包
    Category
    名量词
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L2-012
    PDF page
    389 (printed 386)

  • Times with 次

    Syllabus item
    次
    Category
    动量词
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L2-013
    PDF page
    389 (printed 386)

  • Strong degree and superlatives

    Syllabus item
    多、好、最
    Category
    程度副词
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L2-014
    PDF page
    389 (printed 386)

  • Together with 一起

    Syllabus item
    一起
    Category
    范围副词
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L2-015
    PDF page
    389 (printed 386)