<p>When used as measure word, 匹 always has very specific and narrow matches with it</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>一匹马、一匹骡子、一匹狼、一匹布、一匹绸子</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Above is pretty much all you would see with 匹 as a measure word.</p>

<p>For 条，except for dog, it always refer to animals that are long, thin and with no legs, like</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>一条蛇、一条鱼</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Also, it refers to general long objects like</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>一条绳子、一条河、一条腿、一条烟（lots of boxes of ciggrets purchased together）</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Moreover, 条 could refer to human body related concepts</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我们几个是一条心、一条人命</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-09T14:59:32.293Z
I made a mistake, I think I wanted to ask about 根 gēn instead of 匹 and compare it to 條
user5389726598465
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-09T18:25:50.920Z
bkrs: **根** ：classifier for long slender objects, e.g. cigarettes, guitar strings
CL:条(i.e. often interchangeable)两根筷子 根竹竿
＂实用汉语语法＂； 棒、冰棍、钉子、甘蔗、杆子、钢管（截）、骨头（块）、拐棍、管子（段）、棍子、火柴（包［pack])、毛、毛线（股）、眉毛（道）、木头（块）、丝（缕）头发（绺、缕）弦、香、香肠、香蕉（把）、秧苗（把）、针（枚）、竹子（节）、桩子（only）藕（节）、鞭子、扁担、肠子、黄瓜、筋、筷子、神经、绳子、树枝、锁链、线、香烟（支）、血管、腰带，蛀虫、
still for  **条** ：按语（个）、标语（张、幅）、坝、被单、被面、蚕、蚕丝、虫子（个）、船（个）、词（语词）（个）、词（诗词）（首）、大道、堤坝（道）、定理、毒蛇、鳄鱼、法则、肥皂（块）、根（个）、胳膊（只）、虹（道）、口袋（个）、枪（枝）、桥（座）、毯子、意见（个）、users can draw their own conclusions, noting that 根 and not  条 is used for some short,stiff and sturdy objects
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-09T00:33:19.503Z
2018-09-10T16:03:49.887Z
2018-09-10T16:03:49.887Z
zyy
<p>“条”：A general term used to describe an object that is generally long。
“匹”：
1.A full roll of silk or cloth
2.Take horses.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-10T05:17:41.330Z
2018-09-10T05:17:41.330Z
taoger
<p>In the context of "classifier for long thing objects" how do <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%A2%9D#Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">條</a> and <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8C%B9#Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">匹</a>
differ?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-08T21:44:29.150Z
bkrs:
**匹**  CL for horses,mules,camels，cloth: bolt
匹马／骆驼，   一匹布  
**条** CL for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc)（用于细长的东西）:
一条线 a piece of thread
一条蛇 a snake
两条腿 two legs
（用于以固定数量合成的某些长条形的东西）:
一条儿香烟 a carton of cigarettes
一条肥皂 a bar of soap
（用于分项的）:
一条新闻 a piece of news; an item of news
几条意见 several suggestions; several pieces of advice
（引申用于人体）:
一条好嗓子 a good (sweet) voice
一条人命 a life
＂实用汉语语法＂：板凳、边界、床单、大街、道路、筷子、电线、防线、缝儿、公路、沟、规律、规则、河、狗、狼（also 只）、黄瓜、街、金鱼、筋、军舰、裤子、链子、路、路线、麻袋、毛巾、绵被、命令、牛（头）、皮带、渠、裙子、褥子、嗓子（副）、山沟、山脉、伤疤（块）、伤口、舌头、蛇、神经（根）、 绳子、手巾、水坝、水渠、头巾，围巾、尾巴、线、项链、消息、
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-08T22:32:12.453Z
协定、心（颗）、血管、谚语、腰带、影子、鱼、原则、战线、枕巾、政策（项）、蛀虫、准则、玫瑰，泪痕、领带、理由、麻绳，also  **匹** ：骡
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-09T01:54:28.403Z
some users doubt "一匹狼" (see answer), see comment #1, for 狼,"实用汉语语法＂ only has 只、条、个，１st 2 for 狗、猎狗 likewise，匹 for animals；马、骡子 （both in comment and answer), comment also 骆驼，in addition 斑马 (note 斑马线)（however 一只/头驴)
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-09T05:30:18.493Z
some users wonder whether _"一匹狼"_ (see answer) could possibly originate from  _一批狼_ , as is well known   批 is used for group of people 一批人,(一批货 batch of goods), accordingly when 狼 denotes a certain type of person 一批狼 becomes possible, search web, e.g. 　1、企业发展就是要发展 _一批狼_ 。狼有三大特性：一是敏锐的嗅觉；二是不屈不挠、奋不顾身的进攻精神；三是群体奋斗的意识。

　　2、我们生存下去的唯一出路是提高质量，降低成本，改善服务，否则十分容易被外国垄断集团，一棒打垮。

　　3、十年来我天天思考的都是失败，对成功视而不见，也没有什么荣誉感、自豪感，而是危机感。也许是这样才存活了十年。我们大家要一起来想，怎样才能活下去，也许才能存活得久一些。失败这一天是一定会到来，大家要准备迎接，这是我从不动摇的看法，这是历史规律。
user6065
<word-choice>
what is the difference between 條 and 匹?
# what is the difference between 條 and 匹?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-08)

In the context of "classifier for long thing objects" how do [條](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%A2%9D#Chinese) and [匹](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8C%B9#Chinese)
differ?

**Tags:** word-choice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs: **匹**  CL for horses,mules,camels，cloth: bolt 匹马／骆驼，   一匹布   **条** CL for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc)（用于细长的东西）: 一条线 a piece of thread 一条蛇 a snake 两条腿 two legs （用于以固定数量合成的某些长条形的东西）: 一条儿香烟 a carton of cigarettes 一条肥皂 a bar of soap （用于分项的）: 一条新闻 a piece of news; an item of news 几条意见 several suggestions; several pieces of advice （引申用于人体）: 一条好嗓子 a good (sweet) voice 一条人命 a life ＂实用汉语语法＂：板凳、边界、床单、大街、道路、筷子、电线、防线、缝儿、公路、沟、规律、规则、河、狗、狼（also 只）、黄瓜、街、金鱼、筋、军舰、裤子、链子、路、路线、麻袋、毛巾、绵被、命令、牛（头）、皮带、渠、裙子、褥子、嗓子（副）、山沟、山脉、伤疤（块）、伤口、舌头、蛇、神经（根）、 绳子、手巾、水坝、水渠、头巾，围巾、尾巴、线、项链、消息、  
> **username_1**: 协定、心（颗）、血管、谚语、腰带、影子、鱼、原则、战线、枕巾、政策（项）、蛀虫、准则、玫瑰，泪痕、领带、理由、麻绳，also  **匹** ：骡  
> **username_1**: some users doubt "一匹狼" (see answer), see comment #1, for 狼,"实用汉语语法＂ only has 只、条、个，１st 2 for 狗、猎狗 likewise，匹 for animals；马、骡子 （both in comment and answer), comment also 骆驼，in addition 斑马 (note 斑马线)（however 一只/头驴)  
> **username_1**: some users wonder whether _"一匹狼"_ (see answer) could possibly originate from  _一批狼_ , as is well known   批 is used for group of people 一批人,(一批货 batch of goods), accordingly when 狼 denotes a certain type of person 一批狼 becomes possible, search web, e.g. 　1、企业发展就是要发展 _一批狼_ 。狼有三大特性：一是敏锐的嗅觉；二是不屈不挠、奋不顾身的进攻精神；三是群体奋斗的意识。  　　2、我们生存下去的唯一出路是提高质量，降低成本，改善服务，否则十分容易被外国垄断集团，一棒打垮。  　　3、十年来我天天思考的都是失败，对成功视而不见，也没有什么荣誉感、自豪感，而是危机感。也许是这样才存活了十年。我们大家要一起来想，怎样才能活下去，也许才能存活得久一些。失败这一天是一定会到来，大家要准备迎接，这是我从不动摇的看法，这是历史规律。  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-09-09. Score: 3

When used as measure word, 匹 always has very specific and narrow matches with it

> 一匹马、一匹骡子、一匹狼、一匹布、一匹绸子

Above is pretty much all you would see with 匹 as a measure word.

For 条，except for dog, it always refer to animals that are long, thin and with no legs, like

> 一条蛇、一条鱼

Also, it refers to general long objects like

> 一条绳子、一条河、一条腿、一条烟（lots of boxes of ciggrets purchased together）

Moreover, 条 could refer to human body related concepts

> 我们几个是一条心、一条人命

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I made a mistake, I think I wanted to ask about 根 gēn instead of 匹 and compare it to 條  
> **username_1**: bkrs: **根** ：classifier for long slender objects, e.g. cigarettes, guitar strings CL:条(i.e. often interchangeable)两根筷子 根竹竿 ＂实用汉语语法＂； 棒、冰棍、钉子、甘蔗、杆子、钢管（截）、骨头（块）、拐棍、管子（段）、棍子、火柴（包［pack])、毛、毛线（股）、眉毛（道）、木头（块）、丝（缕）头发（绺、缕）弦、香、香肠、香蕉（把）、秧苗（把）、针（枚）、竹子（节）、桩子（only）藕（节）、鞭子、扁担、肠子、黄瓜、筋、筷子、神经、绳子、树枝、锁链、线、香烟（支）、血管、腰带，蛀虫、 still for  **条** ：按语（个）、标语（张、幅）、坝、被单、被面、蚕、蚕丝、虫子（个）、船（个）、词（语词）（个）、词（诗词）（首）、大道、堤坝（道）、定理、毒蛇、鳄鱼、法则、肥皂（块）、根（个）、胳膊（只）、虹（道）、口袋（个）、枪（枝）、桥（座）、毯子、意见（个）、users can draw their own conclusions, noting that 根 and not  条 is used for some short,stiff and sturdy objects  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-10. Score: 0

“条”：A general term used to describe an object that is generally long。
“匹”：
1.A full roll of silk or cloth
2.Take horses.


---

