Teacher Liu, I noticed a problem when doing my homework. Why does Chinese say '一条鱼' or '一张纸' instead of just '一鱼' or '一纸'?

That’s the Chinese measure word system! It makes our expressions more precise and vivid. For example, '条' is used for long, narrow things. A fish is long, so we say '一条鱼'.

Oh, I see! So '张' is for flat things? Paper is flat, so we say '一张纸'?

Exactly! You’re very smart. '张' is indeed used for flat objects, like '一张桌子', '一张床', or '一张照片'. Measure words are chosen according to an object’s shape and features.

That’s so interesting! What about '把'? I’ve heard '一把椅子' and '一把伞'.

'把' is used for things you can grasp. A chair has arms you can hold, and an umbrella has a handle, so we use '把'. There’s also a fun usage: '一把年纪', meaning someone is already quite old.

Wow, even age can use '把'! Chinese is really full of wisdom. I guess measure words reflect how Chinese people observe the world.

Your understanding is very deep! Measure words indeed embody the unique way Chinese culture classifies things. Mastering them means mastering the essence of Chinese expression.