<p>Usually if you can’t say the item’s name, you can just say:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“我(wǒ)要(yào)这(zhè)个(ɡe)”<br>
  (I would like this one)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>or</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“我(wǒ)要(yào)那(nà)个(ɡe)”<br>
  (I would like that one)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the counter word, if you really don’t know exactly the counter word for the item, you can use the most common counter word “个(ɡè)”. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-27T00:17:41.667Z
Very often you name (for example) three things on the menu, or point to them on the menu, or point to them in a tray, and either the counterperson asks "一个一个一个?" or you volunteer "一个一个一个."  No noun needed.
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-19T07:10:44.907Z
Ah so this is a case where you can use the counter word on its own, or is 个 (ɡe) a noun as well as a counter word?
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-19T03:51:15.167Z
2013-11-19T07:19:45.037Z
2013-11-19T07:19:45.037Z
Wordoor
<p>When you don't know the measure word, the safest choice is <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AA" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>个</strong></a>. It is the most common measure word, is used for things that do not have specific measure words, and can sometimes be used even if another measure word is used:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“个”作为一个量词，它的使用范围十分广泛。它可以修饰没有专用量词的名词，如人、馒头、国家、苹果等等；同时，一些有专用量词的事物，如“一只耳朵”、“一所学校”、“一家工厂”等也都可以用“个”来修饰，成为“一个耳朵”、“一个学校”、“一个工厂”，因此，有人称“个”为“万能量词”。</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pep.com.cn/xgjy/hyjx/hyxxzy/hyxx/yffd/201009/t20100901_855523.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.pep.com.cn/xgjy/hyjx/hyxxzy/hyxx/yffd/201009/t20100901_855523.htm</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>For food servings, <strong>份</strong> can be used too, but note that it is most properly used on items that are served from a larger whole. For example, this includes rice as it is cooked in one large pot and served in multiple bowls.</p>
<p>Where you can though, try to use the most specific measure word, as it will sound more natural:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use <strong>碗</strong> for things that are served in bowls, often (plain) rice or soup noodles</li>
<li>Use <strong>盘</strong> for things served in dishes</li>
<li>Use <strong>道</strong> as a generic measure word for food dishes</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T09:56:38.373Z
2013-11-17T09:56:38.373Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
congusbongus
<p>When ordering food at a cheap simple eatery in China, which words with which counters should I use that would be something vaguely like English "serve", "serving", "helping", "plate", "bowl".</p>

<p>For instance in English I might say "Can we have one serve of fried rice and two bowls of soup?".</p>

<p>In English you don't always need the words that are a bit like counter words, you can say "two fried rices", "two bowls of fried rice", or "two servings of fried rice".</p>

<p>Sometimes you might know that it comes on a plate or in a bowl so that might help, other times you might not be so sure, where the English words would be "helping", "serve", "serving".</p>

<p>But I'm assuming that in Chinese you would always need at least the counter word or both a noun and a counter word. Sometimes you might point at a picture or a menu item you can't read, or at a dish another customer has. In English you would say "one of those" but in Chinese again you would still need a measure word and probably a noun too right?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T07:39:30.720Z
the generic word would be 份... `two servings of fried rice` would be `两份米饭`
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T07:41:01.697Z
As to `one of those`, it's fine just to say `那些中的一个` if you have no idea what `those` refer to...
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T07:46:27.013Z
Oh I was almost going to include that I expected I could use 个 as a fallback/last resort, but I'd like to know what's correct if possible.
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T16:27:23.200Z
I can't recognize most of the dishes in the school cafeteria, so the last situation in your problem happens to me a lot. In these cases, you can just say 一份它. It's kind of weird to see the sentence written down but it sounds natural. The alternatives can be 一个它 or 一份这个 or 一个这个.
arax
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T18:34:05.360Z
一份它 isn't natural at all... this is ungrammatical... 一份这个 is fine
user58955
<word-choice><vocabulary><word-requests><measure-word><food>
Which term and which counter to use when ordering simple meals?
# Which term and which counter to use when ordering simple meals?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-17)

When ordering food at a cheap simple eatery in China, which words with which counters should I use that would be something vaguely like English "serve", "serving", "helping", "plate", "bowl".

For instance in English I might say "Can we have one serve of fried rice and two bowls of soup?".

In English you don't always need the words that are a bit like counter words, you can say "two fried rices", "two bowls of fried rice", or "two servings of fried rice".

Sometimes you might know that it comes on a plate or in a bowl so that might help, other times you might not be so sure, where the English words would be "helping", "serve", "serving".

But I'm assuming that in Chinese you would always need at least the counter word or both a noun and a counter word. Sometimes you might point at a picture or a menu item you can't read, or at a dish another customer has. In English you would say "one of those" but in Chinese again you would still need a measure word and probably a noun too right?

**Tags:** word-choice, vocabulary, word-requests, measure-word, food

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: the generic word would be 份... `two servings of fried rice` would be `两份米饭`  
> **username_1**: As to `one of those`, it's fine just to say `那些中的一个` if you have no idea what `those` refer to...  
> **username_0**: Oh I was almost going to include that I expected I could use 个 as a fallback/last resort, but I'd like to know what's correct if possible.  
> **username_2**: I can't recognize most of the dishes in the school cafeteria, so the last situation in your problem happens to me a lot. In these cases, you can just say 一份它. It's kind of weird to see the sentence written down but it sounds natural. The alternatives can be 一个它 or 一份这个 or 一个这个.  
> **username_1**: 一份它 isn't natural at all... this is ungrammatical... 一份这个 is fine  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2013-11-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

When you don't know the measure word, the safest choice is [**个**](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AA). It is the most common measure word, is used for things that do not have specific measure words, and can sometimes be used even if another measure word is used:

> “个”作为一个量词，它的使用范围十分广泛。它可以修饰没有专用量词的名词，如人、馒头、国家、苹果等等；同时，一些有专用量词的事物，如“一只耳朵”、“一所学校”、“一家工厂”等也都可以用“个”来修饰，成为“一个耳朵”、“一个学校”、“一个工厂”，因此，有人称“个”为“万能量词”。
>
> <http://www.pep.com.cn/xgjy/hyjx/hyxxzy/hyxx/yffd/201009/t20100901_855523.htm>

For food servings, **份** can be used too, but note that it is most properly used on items that are served from a larger whole. For example, this includes rice as it is cooked in one large pot and served in multiple bowls.

Where you can though, try to use the most specific measure word, as it will sound more natural:

* Use **碗** for things that are served in bowls, often (plain) rice or soup noodles
* Use **盘** for things served in dishes
* Use **道** as a generic measure word for food dishes


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-11-19. Score: 1

Usually if you can’t say the item’s name, you can just say:

> “我(wǒ)要(yào)这(zhè)个(ɡe)”  
> (I would like this one)

or

> “我(wǒ)要(yào)那(nà)个(ɡe)”  
> (I would like that one)

For the counter word, if you really don’t know exactly the counter word for the item, you can use the most common counter word “个(ɡè)”.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ah so this is a case where you can use the counter word on its own, or is 个 (ɡe) a noun as well as a counter word?  
> **username_4**: Very often you name (for example) three things on the menu, or point to them on the menu, or point to them in a tray, and either the counterperson asks "一个一个一个?" or you volunteer "一个一个一个."  No noun needed.  

---

