<p>Stop reading that article - it is totally wrong.</p>

<p>The issue is that <strong><code>书</code> and <code>书本</code> are both plural and singular at the same time.</strong> Which one it is depends solely on the context. For example, it is plural in <code>我常常讀書</code>: "I read <em>books</em> often". In contrast, it is singular in <code>把書放下</code>: "Put down the <em>book</em>."</p>

<p>You can specify plurals, however. How that actually works is that <strong><code>本</code> is a counter for books (<code>书</code>)</strong>. For example, <code>一本书</code> meaning "<em>one (volume of) book</em>". Therefore, to get plurals, you can use @windrose's example of <code>几本书</code>, meaning "<em>several (volumes of) books</em>".</p>

<p>It is essentially a coincidence that the counter for books can be appended to the character for books to make <code>书本</code>. <em>Do not assume you can do this with any noun</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-19T09:31:41.030Z
2014-08-19T09:31:41.030Z
Semaphore
<p><code>本</code> in <code>书本</code> is a noun meaning <code>booklet; notebook</code>, which is completely different from its function as a measure word. Therefore <code>书本</code> is not the plural form for book, but a general/abstract reference to 'books and notepads'.</p>

<p>The rule of '[noun] + [measure word]' does not exist, very few instances of which could make any sense. 书本 is just one of these rare coincidences. </p>

<p>Regarding the phrase in your question, 一本书, its structure is a basic pattern for noun phrase: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[count word] + [measure word] + [noun]. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>To turn it into plural form, you can either increment the count word, e.g. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>两本书 (two books), 三本书 (three books)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Or change the measure word from a singular measure word to a collective measure word, e.g.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>一些书 (some books), 一摞书 (a pile of books), 一套书 (a collection of books)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Or replace the [count word + measure word] altogether with a quantitative adjective (phrase), e.g.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>很多书 (many books), 大量书籍 (a large number of books)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-19T09:33:44.823Z
2014-08-19T09:33:44.823Z
NS.X.
<p>It doesn't work the way you think which means plural noun doesn't come from noun+[measure word]. Actually I doubt that the concept of plural noun applies to Chinese. Instead, to express plural concept, you use numeric description before a noun.</p>

<p>So you can say 几本书 (several books), 一些书 (some books). 书本 to me is more like a collective noun. Similarly, you say 几首歌 (several songs), 很多歌 (many songs), etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-19T08:14:49.737Z
2014-08-19T08:14:49.737Z
wind rose
<p>I have read an article which shows this sentence 一本书, and then if want to make it plural, it becomes 书本, so my question is it for all noun and measure word?</p>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>一首歌 becomes 歌首</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-19T07:05:43.690Z
Who told you that 書本 is the plural form of 書 ......
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-19T07:06:18.147Z
Well I've never seen 鱼条 but you can definitely find 猪头!
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-23T00:40:37.687Z
@user3306356 How about sweet and sour fish chips? 糖醋鱼条 http://baike.baidu.com/view/135554.htm
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-23T02:31:54.813Z
@NS.X. Ah! Ruined my joke!
Mou某
<grammar><measure-word>
Combining noun and measure word
# Combining noun and measure word

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-19)

I have read an article which shows this sentence 一本书, and then if want to make it plural, it becomes 书本, so my question is it for all noun and measure word?

Example:

一首歌 becomes 歌首

**Tags:** grammar, measure-word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Who told you that 書本 is the plural form of 書 ......  
> **username_2**: Well I've never seen 鱼条 but you can definitely find 猪头!  
> **username_3**: @user3306356 How about sweet and sour fish chips? 糖醋鱼条 http://baike.baidu.com/view/135554.htm  
> **username_2**: @NS.X. Ah! Ruined my joke!  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-08-19. Score: 5

Stop reading that article - it is totally wrong.

The issue is that **`书` and `书本` are both plural and singular at the same time.** Which one it is depends solely on the context. For example, it is plural in `我常常讀書`: "I read *books* often". In contrast, it is singular in `把書放下`: "Put down the *book*."

You can specify plurals, however. How that actually works is that **`本` is a counter for books (`书`)**. For example, `一本书` meaning "*one (volume of) book*". Therefore, to get plurals, you can use @username_5's example of `几本书`, meaning "*several (volumes of) books*".

It is essentially a coincidence that the counter for books can be appended to the character for books to make `书本`. *Do not assume you can do this with any noun*.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-08-19. Score: 2

`本` in `书本` is a noun meaning `booklet; notebook`, which is completely different from its function as a measure word. Therefore `书本` is not the plural form for book, but a general/abstract reference to 'books and notepads'.

The rule of '[noun] + [measure word]' does not exist, very few instances of which could make any sense. 书本 is just one of these rare coincidences.

Regarding the phrase in your question, 一本书, its structure is a basic pattern for noun phrase:

> [count word] + [measure word] + [noun].

To turn it into plural form, you can either increment the count word, e.g.

> 两本书 (two books), 三本书 (three books)

Or change the measure word from a singular measure word to a collective measure word, e.g.

> 一些书 (some books), 一摞书 (a pile of books), 一套书 (a collection of books)

Or replace the [count word + measure word] altogether with a quantitative adjective (phrase), e.g.

> 很多书 (many books), 大量书籍 (a large number of books)


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### Answer by username_5 on 2014-08-19. Score: 1

It doesn't work the way you think which means plural noun doesn't come from noun+[measure word]. Actually I doubt that the concept of plural noun applies to Chinese. Instead, to express plural concept, you use numeric description before a noun.

So you can say 几本书 (several books), 一些书 (some books). 书本 to me is more like a collective noun. Similarly, you say 几首歌 (several songs), 很多歌 (many songs), etc.


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