课程 → Level 3 · 量词与描写 → 课 6
Level 3 · Lesson 6 一位老师
A teacher (polite)
一个人，一位老师，一些客人。
位 is the respectful measure word for people, 个 the neutral one — and 些 counts a vague few.
听 · Listen
今天谁来？
Mum, who is coming to our house today?
A teacher and two colleagues.
Are the children coming too?
Yes — three children are coming as well.
Six people! I'll cook some food.
Good — you cook, I'll buy some fruit.
Will the guests drink tea?
Yes. Please buy tea.
讲解 · Explanation
一个人，一位老师。
People need a measure word just as books and chairs do. 个 ge is the everyday one — 一个人, 三个孩子, 五个学生. 位 wèi is its respectful twin: a teacher, a guest, a doctor, a customer, anyone you want to honour — 一位老师, 两位客人, 三位先生. Two rules of thumb: never use 位 of yourself (我是一个学生, not 一位学生), and children are counted with 个. One spelling note that applies from here on — before a measure word 'two' is 两 liǎng, not 二 èr: 两位同事, 两个孩子.
一些客人，这些孩子。
些 xiē is the measure word for a vague handful. It follows only 一, 这 or 那: 一些菜 'some food', 这些孩子 'these children', 那些客人 'those guests'. You can never count with it — 两些 and 三些 do not exist — and no second measure word ever joins it: 一些书, never 一些本书.
生词 · Vocabulary
| 词 | Meaning | 注 · Note |
|---|---|---|
| 位 | measure word for people, polite | 一位老师，两位客人 |
| 些 | measure word: some, a few | 一些, 这些, 那些 only — never 两些 |
| 客人 | guest | 一位客人 |
| 同事 | colleague | 一位同事 |
| 孩子 | child | 一个孩子 |
练习 · Practice
用一用 · Use it
今天一位老师和两位同事来我们家，三个孩子也来。
Say aloud who is coming to your home this week. Give every person a number and a measure word, and let the choice of 位 or 个 show how you see them: 一位老师, 两位客人 for people you respect, 三个孩子, 四个同学 for children and friends. Then finish with what you will prepare — 我买一些水果, 我做一些菜.