<p>No, in general, you shall not use 个 before a unit, no matter what the unit is used for (mass, length,area etc ). 个 is a counter/measure word in Chinese, one of whose functions is to count something, like a unit, so you don't need to put a unit before a unit.
In some weird scenarios, you may use 个 before a unit.for example,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>本文中有几<strong>个公斤</strong>？ How many occurrences of "kilogram" in the article ?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here, kilogram itself is treated as a common word instead of a unit.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-28T05:54:38.693Z
Good explanation, but the example sounds artificial - in real life scenario it would be phrased differently to avoid any possible ambiguity, e.g. `本文中公斤一词出现了几次`.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-29T14:05:15.693Z
@ns.x Yes, it's constructed by me on purpose. That's why I say "weird".
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-28T00:23:48.853Z
2014-07-28T00:23:48.853Z
Huang
<p>I'm trying to figure out if you ever use 个 when describing distances or weight. For example, people say "十公里“ NOT "十个公里“ － right？ does the same apply for weights? like 公斤？ </p>

<measure-word>
Do you use 个 when describing distances/weights？
# Do you use 个 when describing distances/weights？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-27)

I'm trying to figure out if you ever use 个 when describing distances or weight. For example, people say "十公里“ NOT "十个公里“ － right？ does the same apply for weights? like 公斤？

**Tags:** measure-word


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-07-28. Score: 1

No, in general, you shall not use 个 before a unit, no matter what the unit is used for (mass, length,area etc ). 个 is a counter/measure word in Chinese, one of whose functions is to count something, like a unit, so you don't need to put a unit before a unit.
In some weird scenarios, you may use 个 before a unit.for example,

> 本文中有几**个公斤**？ How many occurrences of "kilogram" in the article ?

Here, kilogram itself is treated as a common word instead of a unit.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Good explanation, but the example sounds artificial - in real life scenario it would be phrased differently to avoid any possible ambiguity, e.g. `本文中公斤一词出现了几次`.  
> **username_1**: @ns.x Yes, it's constructed by me on purpose. That's why I say "weird".  

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