<ul>
<li><p><strong>條</strong> can be a measure word for <strong>huge things</strong>. For example, 一条河, 一条烟囱, 一条船(all long and thin but huge) - <em>you can't use 根 for huge things</em></p></li>
<li><p><strong>条</strong> can be a measure word for <strong>living things</strong>. For example, 一条蚯蚓, 一条蛇, 一条狗 (all long and thin and alive) - <em>Don't use 根 for living things</em></p></li>
<li><p><strong>条</strong> can be a measure word for thin and long  <strong>things with flat surface</strong>, For example, 一条手帕. 一条毛巾 (both long and thin and have a flat surface) - <em>You can't use 根 for things that have a flat surface</em></p></li>
<li><p><strong>条</strong> can be a measure word for <strong>abstract concepts</strong>. For example, 一条规矩, 一条题目</p></li>
<li><p><strong>根</strong> is more common when used as a measure word for <strong>tiny things</strong>. For example, 一根绣花针, 一根火柴, 一根松针, 一根头发, 一根汗毛, (all long, thin and tiny)</p></li>
<li><p><strong>条</strong> can also replace 根 when used as a measure word for tiny things especially objects from living things. For example, 一根头发,  一根汗毛; 一条头发,  一条汗毛</p></li>
</ul>

<p>For things that are not huge, tiny, alive or have a flat surface 條 and 根 are often interchangeable. For example, 一条长棍, 一根长棍, 一条短棒, 一根短棒</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T02:51:51.917Z
一条题目sounds a little bit weird. I only use道 for 题目. And I don't even know the word 规举， did you mean 规矩？ Also the word巾 doesn't sounds like Mandarin to me, I've only seen multi-syllable words using this character.
炸鱼薯条德里克
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T03:13:12.247Z
@炸鱼薯条德里克 Must be a Cantonese thing to say 一条题目 and 一条规矩
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-17T11:47:36.753Z
Never heard of 一条头发, 一条汗毛. 一条烟囱 is odd too. Maybe, the choices for measure words are regional.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-17T11:49:50.480Z
I have never heard of 一根铅笔 neither
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T05:15:58.003Z
How about 一根木头?
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T05:20:01.813Z
I think 根 (root) is used for things are straight and sometimes one end is the root or handle while the other end is the head or point.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-22T09:21:47.500Z
You forgot 一条鱼。
Zhang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-22T09:23:46.883Z
I mentioned 一条蚯蚓, 一条蛇,
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T10:42:57.077Z
2019-03-16T16:13:40.227Z
2019-03-16T16:13:40.227Z
Tang Ho
<p>Starting from the essential meanings of these two measure words, 条 is the small branch of tree, and 根 is the root of tree. In daily conversation, 条 is used for things that may be long and <strong>wiggly</strong>, such as 一条河(river), while 根 is for long, <strong>straight</strong> objects, such as 一根香菸(cigarette).</p>

<p>Sometimes, 条 and 根 are interchangeable, we can say 一条 or 一根 香蕉(banana), or 香腸(sausage).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T13:06:28.547Z
There is an interesting comparison, 一条烟 and 一根烟 are different.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T00:35:55.890Z
一条烟 is one carton of cigarettes, and 一根烟 is just one cigarette.
Eyton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T10:25:29.193Z
2019-03-15T10:34:14.127Z
2019-03-15T10:34:14.127Z
Eyton
<p>My experince is that 根 is used for <strong>small and hard</strong> objects such as 铅笔，香蕉，香烟， etc. Well, 条 is usually for <strong>big and soft</strong> ones like 蛇，河，船， 围巾，etc. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-16T16:15:44.203Z
一枝铅笔 is more common;  and how is 一条船 soft and  一条蚯蚓 big?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-17T00:01:43.903Z
@TangHo 一根铅笔 is common too. 一支铅笔 sounds a little bit formal maybe. 船 is big and 蚯蚓 is soft. I don't think there is a good hard-and-fast rule for it anyway.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-22T09:24:59.710Z
@TangHo 当我第一眼看到铅笔的时候我第一反应也是，不应该是“一支铅笔”吗？但仔细想想，我们那儿（北方）方言，全是说“根”的。“给我来根儿笔”，“给我来根儿烟”，哈哈
Zhang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-22T09:28:22.297Z
@dan 论“支”是formal还是normal我也说不清了，反正现在北漂在北京，我家孩子是说“支”的，我跟她也说“支”。都快忘了我原来是说“根”的。
Zhang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T14:37:06.027Z
2019-03-15T14:37:06.027Z
dan
<p>Both of these two words 条 and 根 in the dictionary are said to be measure words for long and thin objects. What are the differences between them?</p>

<word-choice><mandarin><measure-word>
Differences between 条 and 根
# Differences between 条 and 根

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-15)

Both of these two words 条 and 根 in the dictionary are said to be measure words for long and thin objects. What are the differences between them?

**Tags:** word-choice, mandarin, measure-word


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-15. Score: 4

* **條** can be a measure word for **huge things**. For example, 一条河, 一条烟囱, 一条船(all long and thin but huge) - *you can't use 根 for huge things*
* **条** can be a measure word for **living things**. For example, 一条蚯蚓, 一条蛇, 一条狗 (all long and thin and alive) - *Don't use 根 for living things*
* **条** can be a measure word for thin and long **things with flat surface**, For example, 一条手帕. 一条毛巾 (both long and thin and have a flat surface) - *You can't use 根 for things that have a flat surface*
* **条** can be a measure word for **abstract concepts**. For example, 一条规矩, 一条题目
* **根** is more common when used as a measure word for **tiny things**. For example, 一根绣花针, 一根火柴, 一根松针, 一根头发, 一根汗毛, (all long, thin and tiny)
* **条** can also replace 根 when used as a measure word for tiny things especially objects from living things. For example, 一根头发, 一根汗毛; 一条头发, 一条汗毛

For things that are not huge, tiny, alive or have a flat surface 條 and 根 are often interchangeable. For example, 一条长棍, 一根长棍, 一条短棒, 一根短棒

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 一条题目sounds a little bit weird. I only use道 for 题目. And I don't even know the word 规举， did you mean 规矩？ Also the word巾 doesn't sounds like Mandarin to me, I've only seen multi-syllable words using this character.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Must be a Cantonese thing to say 一条题目 and 一条规矩  
> **username_3**: Never heard of 一条头发, 一条汗毛. 一条烟囱 is odd too. Maybe, the choices for measure words are regional.  
> **username_1**: I have never heard of 一根铅笔 neither  
> **username_4**: How about 一根木头?  
> **username_4**: I think 根 (root) is used for things are straight and sometimes one end is the root or handle while the other end is the head or point.  
> **username_5**: You forgot 一条鱼。  
> **username_1**: I mentioned 一条蚯蚓, 一条蛇,  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-03-15. Score: 2

Starting from the essential meanings of these two measure words, 条 is the small branch of tree, and 根 is the root of tree. In daily conversation, 条 is used for things that may be long and **wiggly**, such as 一条河(river), while 根 is for long, **straight** objects, such as 一根香菸(cigarette).

Sometimes, 条 and 根 are interchangeable, we can say 一条 or 一根 香蕉(banana), or 香腸(sausage).

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: There is an interesting comparison, 一条烟 and 一根烟 are different.  
> **username_6**: 一条烟 is one carton of cigarettes, and 一根烟 is just one cigarette.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-03-15. Score: 1

My experince is that 根 is used for **small and hard** objects such as 铅笔，香蕉，香烟， etc. Well, 条 is usually for **big and soft** ones like 蛇，河，船， 围巾，etc.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 一枝铅笔 is more common;  and how is 一条船 soft and  一条蚯蚓 big?  
> **username_3**: @username_1 一根铅笔 is common too. 一支铅笔 sounds a little bit formal maybe. 船 is big and 蚯蚓 is soft. I don't think there is a good hard-and-fast rule for it anyway.  
> **username_5**: @username_1 当我第一眼看到铅笔的时候我第一反应也是，不应该是“一支铅笔”吗？但仔细想想，我们那儿（北方）方言，全是说“根”的。“给我来根儿笔”，“给我来根儿烟”，哈哈  
> **username_5**: @username_3 论“支”是formal还是normal我也说不清了，反正现在北漂在北京，我家孩子是说“支”的，我跟她也说“支”。都快忘了我原来是说“根”的。  

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