只 (zhī) — measure word for animals

只 (zhī)

A measure word used for animals and for one of a pair of objects. 只 is pronounced zhī when used as a measure word. It is the standard classifier for most animals, including pets.

Meanings

1. [measure word] Classifier for animals (most types).
2. [measure word] Classifier for one of a pair (one hand, one ear, one shoe).

What 只 counts

只 is used with:

• 猫 (māo): cat — 一只猫 (one cat)
• 狗 (gǒu): dog — 一只狗 (one dog)
• 鸟 (niǎo): bird — 一只鸟 (one bird)
• 手 (shǒu): hand — 一只手 (one hand)
• 鞋 (xié): shoe — 一只鞋 (one shoe, from a pair)

Example Sentences

我家有一只猫。 Wǒ jiā yǒu yī zhī māo. My family has one cat.

公园里有几只狗。 Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu jǐ zhī gǒu. There are several dogs in the park.

树上有一只鸟。 Shù shàng yǒu yī zhī niǎo. There is a bird in the tree.

她养了两只猫。 Tā yǎngle liǎng zhī māo. She keeps two cats.

Collocations

Common Learner Mistake

Do not use 个 for animals. Saying 一个猫 is incorrect. Use 只 for all common animals. Also note that large animals like horses and cows sometimes use 匹 (pǐ) and 头 (tóu) respectively, but 只 works for most everyday animals including cats, dogs, birds, and fish.