How to Write 个 (ge/gě/gè) — Meaning “individual; (measure word)”

Imagine a person standing straight (the vertical line 丨) with their arm reaching out to the side (the diagonal stroke 丿). This forms a simple stick figure, and you use this 'person' when counting individual items. The character has only three strokes, so picture a person holding up three fingers to remember the stroke count.

Start with the diagonal stroke (丿) from top right to bottom left, then write the vertical stroke (丨) from top to bottom, and finally add the small dot or short horizontal stroke on the right side. Make sure the diagonal stroke is not too steep and that the vertical line is straight and centered. A common mistake is making the diagonal too long or forgetting the final right-side stroke, which is actually a downward-pointing diagonal in printed forms.

The character 丨 is just a single vertical line, meaning 'line' or 'staff', and has no usage as a measure word. 丩 (jiū) looks like two curved strokes crossing and is an archaic character meaning 'to entangle' or 'to join'. In contrast, 个 has three strokes: a left diagonal, a vertical line, and a right stroke, and it is one of the most common measure words in modern Chinese.

个 is the most common measure word in Chinese and can be used for people, objects, and abstract things, like 一个人 (one person) or 一个苹果 (one apple). It is also used in everyday expressions like 这个 (this) and 那个 (that). In casual speech, 个 can replace more specific measure words, making it a versatile and essential character for beginners.

Common words containing 个 include: 个人 (gè rén) — individual; personal; 两个 (liǎng gè) — two (of something); 这个 (zhè ge) — this; this one.