個

個 U+500B, 個 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-500B ← 倊 [U+500A] CJK Unified Ideographs 倌 → [U+500C]

Stroke order

Stroke order

個 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+8, 10 strokes, cangjie input 人田十口 (OWJR), four-corner 2620₀, composition ⿰亻固)

• 嗰(𠮶), 𬚅

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 107, character 17
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 758
• Dae Jaweon: page 228, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 178, character 3
• Unihan data for U+500B

trad.		個/箇
simp.		个
alternative forms		个 especially in the possessive usage 兮 Hokkien; possessive particle 的 Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle ㄟ Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle ケ Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle 个 especially in the possessive usage 兮 Hokkien; possessive particle 的 Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle ㄟ Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle ケ Taiwanese Hokkien; possessive particle 亓 Hokkien; possessive particle 亇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kaːls): semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 固 (OC *kaːs).

The semantics may have developed along the grammaticalisation process "bamboo stalk" (箇) > "piece, item" > "classifier for every category of noun" > "possessive particle, generic particle". If so, it would then possibly be cognate with 竿 (OC *kaːn, “bamboo, rod”). Compare Tibetan མཁར་བ (mkhar ba), འཁར་བ ('khar ba, “walking stick, staff”) and Thai ก้าน (gâan, “stem, stalk”).

Southern Min classifier and possessive particle

Hokkien ê/gê (classifier), ê (possessive particle), Teochew gai5 (classifier), gai7 (possessive particle): from 其 (OC *ɡɯ) (Li, 2002; Douglas, 1873^[1]). Cognate with Eastern Min 其 (gì, possessive particle), Northern Min 的 (gâ̤, possessive particle). The modern forms of these cognates all derive from the 陽平／阳平 (yángpíng) tone.

Wu classifier and possessive particle

Though the expected pronunciation (in for instance Shanghainese) would be /ku/, this has undergone glottalisation (Dai, 2004). Compare 勒 (“to be in, to be at”), 搭 (“to”). In Shanghainese, this often undergoes further lenition to /ɦəʔ/.

個

1. single; alone; individual

   個人／个人  ―  gèrén  ―  an individual; personal

   個體／个体  ―  gètǐ  ―  individuality

   個別／个别  ―  gèbié  ―  individual; separate; some; a couple of

2. height; build; stature

   個子／个子  ―  gèzi  ―  height; stature

   個兒／个儿  ―  gèr  ―  size

3. (dialectal Hakka, dialectal Min, dialectal Wu) one
4. Generic classifier for people or for things lacking specific classifiers.

   一個人／一个人  ―  yī gè rén  ―  one person

   每個人／每个人  ―  měi gè rén  ―  every person; everyone

   我有一個問題。 [MSC, trad.]
   我有一个问题。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ yǒu yī gè wèntí. [Pinyin]

   I have a question.

   兩個人／两个人 [Taiwanese Hokkien]  ―  nn̄g ê lâng [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  two people

   住響你屋企個陳先生係邊度人嚟㗎？ [Guangzhou Cantonese, trad.]
   住响你屋企个陈先生系边度人嚟㗎？ [Guangzhou Cantonese, simp.]

   zyu⁶ hoeng² nei⁵ uk¹ kei² go³ can⁴ sin¹ saang¹ hai⁶ bin¹ dou⁶ jan⁴ lai⁴ gaa³? [Jyutping]

   Where is that Mr. Chan who lives at your house from?

5. Classifier for hours and months.

   一個鐘頭／一个钟头  ―  yī gè zhōngtóu  ―  one hour

   九個月／九个月  ―  jiǔ gè yuè  ―  nine months

   三個月／三个月 [Taiwanese Hokkien]  ―  saⁿ kò goe̍h [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  three months

6. (regional, colloquial) Alternative classifier for nouns having specific classifiers. (Usage varies greatly between different topolects)

   一個學校／一个学校  ―  yī gè xuéxiào  ―  one school

   一個井／一个井 [Guangzhou Cantonese]  ―  jat¹ go³ zeng² [Jyutping]  ―  a well

   一個房／一个房 [Guangzhou Cantonese]  ―  jat¹ go³ fong^4-2 [Jyutping]  ―  a room

7. (Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew, Puxian Min, Wenzhounese) Classifier for money: yuan, dollar; buck

   三個九毫九／三个九毫九 [Cantonese]  ―  saam¹ go³ gau² hou⁴ gau² [Jyutping]  ―  three dollars and ninety-nine cents

   八個六／八个六 [Cantonese]  ―  baat³ go³ luk⁶ [Jyutping]  ―  eight dollars and sixty cents

   個半十隻檸檬 [Cantonese, trad.]
   个半十只柠檬 [Cantonese, simp.]

   go³ bun³ sap⁶ zek³ ning⁴ mung^4-1 [Jyutping]

   ten lemons for a dollar and a half

   三個銀／三个银 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  sâm ke ngiùn [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  three dollars

   兩斤五個／两斤五个 [Teochew]  ―  no⁶ geng¹ ngou⁶ gai⁵ [Peng'im]  ―  two catties for five dollars

   個銀三粒／个银三粒 [Teochew]  ―  gai⁵ ngeng⁵ san¹ liab⁸ [Peng'im]  ―  three for a buck

8. (Cantonese, slang) Classifier for money: ten thousand yuan, dollars, etc.

   Synonym: 粒

   佢爭人十個。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   佢争人十个。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   keoi⁵ caang¹ jan⁴ sap⁶ go³. [Jyutping]

   He owes them a hundred grand.

9. (Mandarin, colloquial) Particle, placed between a verb and numbers, showing that the following numbers are approximate, not accurate.

   他一下跑個兩三公里都不在話下。 [MSC, trad.]
   他一下跑个两三公里都不在话下。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā yīxià pǎo gè liǎng sān gōnglǐ dōu bùzàihuàxià. [Pinyin]

   Running two or three kilometers in one go is a piece of cake for him.

   他們倆就差個一兩歲。 [MSC, trad.]
   他们俩就差个一两岁。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tāmen liǎ jiù chà gè yī liǎng suì. [Pinyin]

   The age difference between them is only about one or two years.

10. (Mandarin, Cantonese, colloquial) Particle, placed between a verb and its object or complement, adding a sense of ease, swiftness and one-offness to the action.

    吃個飯，洗個澡，休息休息 [MSC, trad.]
    吃个饭，洗个澡，休息休息 [MSC, simp.]

    chī gè fàn, xǐ ge zǎo, xiūxi xiūxi [Pinyin]

    have a meal, take a shower and have some rest

    我們昨天見了個面，聊了聊近況。 [MSC, trad.]
    我们昨天见了个面，聊了聊近况。 [MSC, simp.]

    Wǒmen zuótiān jiàn le gè miàn, liáo le liáo jìnkuàng. [Pinyin]

    We met yesterday, and chatted about how we've been recently.

11. (Mandarin, colloquial) Particle used after 些 (xiē).

    那些個年的事現在回憶起來還是記憶猶新。 [MSC, trad.]
    那些个年的事现在回忆起来还是记忆犹新。 [MSC, simp.]

    Nàxiēgè nián de shì xiànzài huíyì qǐlái háishì jìyìyóuxīn. [Pinyin]

    It feels like yesterday when I reminisce about those stories in the past.

12. Particle between a verb and its complement.

    吃個夠／吃个够  ―  chī ge gòu  ―  to eat enough

    忙個不停／忙个不停  ―  máng ge bùtíng  ―  to be as busy as a bee

    唱個痛快／唱个痛快  ―  chàng ge tòngkuài  ―  to sing to one’s heart’s content

13. (dialectal Mandarin) Particle used in some time-related words.

    今兒個／今儿个  ―  jīnrge  ―  (dialectal) today

14. (literary or Wu, Xiang, Gan, dialectal Cantonese, dialectal Min) (= 搿 (Northern Wu)) this; that

    個個人／个个人 [Shanghainese]  ―  ⁸geq-gheq ⁶gnin [Wugniu]  ―  this person

    個隻鴨子勿大酥 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    个只鸭子勿大酥 [Shanghainese, simp.]

    ⁸geq-tsaq ⁷aq-tsy ⁶veq₈-da-su [Wugniu]

    This duck hasn't been cooked long enough for it to become tender.

15. (dialectal Cantonese, Hakka, Southern Min, Wu) Possessive particle. Equivalent to Mandarin 的 (de).

    → 嘅 (ge3) (Cantonese); 格 (kaq), 額／额 (gheq) (Shanghainese) (Mandarin influenced); 噶, 葛 (Suzhounese); 的 (ê) (Hokkien)

    我個冊／我个册 [Hokkien]  ―  góa ê chheh [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  my book

    我個書／我个书 [Teochew]  ―  ua² gai⁷ ze¹ [Peng'im]  ―  my book

    我個小囡／我个小囡 [Shanghainese]  ―  ⁶ngu-gheq ⁵shiau-noe [Wugniu]  ―  my child

    客家個精神／客家个精神 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  hak-kâ ke chîn-sṳ̀n [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  the Hakka spirit

16. (dialectal) Sentence-final declarative, affirmative, or prohibitive particle. Equivalent to Mandarin 的 (de), 了 (le).

    標語勿是我寫個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    标语勿是我写个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

    ¹piau-gniu ⁸veq-zy ⁶ngu ⁵shia-gheq [Wugniu]

    I didn't write that slogan.

    • 2011, 胡寶談 [Hu Baotan], 弄堂 [lòngtáng]:

      事體老妖個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
      事体老妖个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

      ⁶zy-thi ⁶lau ¹iau ⁰gheq [Wugniu]

      It's quite an odd happenstance.

    1. (Cantonese, pronunciation spelling) Vowel harmony form of 嘅 (ge3, “emphasis particle used at the end of declarative sentences”), pronounced as 個／个 (go3) when followed by sentence final particles with vowel o, such as 喎／㖞 (wo3).

       係噉個喎／系噉个㖞 [Cantonese]  ―  hai⁶ gam² go³ wo³ [Jyutping]  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)

17. (often dialectal) Emphatic particle between a pronoun and a noun, usually to highlight some negative quality of the person.

    你個笨蛋！／你个笨蛋！  ―  Nǐ gè bèndàn!  ―  You idiot!

    佢個人好懶。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    佢个人好懒。 [Cantonese, simp.]

    keoi⁵ go³ jan⁴ hou² laan⁵. [Jyutping]

    He/she is such a sluggard.

18. (Teochew) to be

    我個學生，我個生日個十月三號。 [Teochew, trad.]
    我个学生，我个生日个十月三号。 [Teochew, simp.]

    ua² gai⁵ hag⁸ sêng¹, ua² gai⁷ sên¹ rig⁸ gai⁵ zab⁸ ghuêh⁸ san¹ ho⁷. [Peng'im]

    I am a student. My birthday is 3rd October.

    • 2017 August 16, Swatow, “關西是日本的，关中是陕西。”, in Forvo‎^[1], Forvo:

      關西個日本個，關中是陝西。 [Teochew, trad.]
      关西个日本个，关中是陕西。 [Teochew, simp.]

      guang¹ sai¹ gai⁵ rig⁸ bung² gai⁷, guang¹ dong¹ si⁶ siam² sai¹. [Peng'im]

      Kansai ("west of the pass") is in Japan; Guanzhong ("within the pass") is in Shaanxi.

    • 我個潮州來個。 [Teochew, trad.]
      我个潮州来个。 [Teochew, simp.]

      From: Based on 2011, Hui Ling Xu; Stephen Matthews, On the polyfunctionality and grammaticalization of the morpheme kai in the Chaozhou dialect, in Foong Ha Yap; Karen Grunow-Hårsta; Janick Wrona (eds.), Nominalization in Asian Languages: Diachronic and typological perspectives, page 121

      ua² gai⁵ dio⁵ ziu¹ lai⁵ gai⁷ [Peng'im]

      I come from Chaozhou. (i.e., It is Chaozhou that I come from.)

19. (dated Shanghainese) Used to indicate the past tense.
    • 2010, Qian Nairong, “從〈滬語便商〉所見的老上海話時態 [Tenses and Aspects? Old Shanghainese as Found in the Book Huyu Bian Shang]”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

      我伲一直替㑚一家人家交易，勿到別人家去個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
      我伲一直替㑚一家人家交易，勿到别人家去个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

      We've been trading with your family, we haven't gone to any other families.

20. (Cantonese) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    • 2022, “全身想旅行 [cyun4 san1 soeng2 leoi5 hang4]”, 林日曦 [lam4 jat6 hei1, Roy Tsui] (lyrics)‎^[2]performed by 黎明 [lai4 ming4, Leon Lai]:

      個赤鱲角真闊　冇晒人飛 [Cantonese, trad.]
      个赤𫚭角真阔　冇晒人飞 [Cantonese, simp.]

      go³ cek³ laap⁶ gok³ zan¹ fut³, mou⁵ saai³ jan⁴ fei¹ [Jyutping]

      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• For Hokkien, Taiwan's Ministry of Education recommends 个 for the general classifier ê and 的 for the possessive particle ê, reserving 個 for the month classifier kò.
• For Hakka, Taiwan's Ministry of Education recommends 个 for the possessive particle.
• In Cantonese, when used for "yuan/dollar", 個 is usually only used when followed by cents.
• Northern Wu languages can mark for tenses, as well as aspects. In Old Shanghainese, this is used to mark the past tense, as opposed to a perfect aspect. In etymological spellings, 箇 (=搿) is reserved for demonstrative pronouns, 个 for the possessive particle, while 個 is only used as classifier (一個 ⁷iq-g(h)eq) or literary readings (個人 ⁵ku-gnin).

• (height):

• (one):

• (classifier):

• (possessive particle):

• (yuan; dollar):

• (this):

Others:

• Wutunhua: -ge
• →? Baba Malay: punya (semantic loan)
• →? Vietnamese: cái (possibly some contamination)

個

1. only used in 自個兒／自个儿 (zìgěr)

• 羅竹風 [Luo, Zhufeng], editor (1986–1994), “個”, in 漢語大詞典 [Hanyu Da Cidian] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Shanghai: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House, →ISBN
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00190
• National Languages Promotion Committee, editor (1999), 《國語一字多音審訂表》 [Guóyǔ Yī Zì Duō Yīn Shěndìng Biǎo]‎^[3] (in Chinese), Taipei: Ministry of Education, →ISBN, page 9

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: か (ka)
• Kan-on: か (ka)
• Tō-on: こ (ko, Jōyō)

• (Tokyo) こ [kóꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞]

Kanji in this term
個
こ Grade: 5
tōon

Alternative spellings
㐰 箇

個(こ) • (-ko) 

1. item, article, thing

   あの枝(えだ)に桜(さくら)ん坊(ぼ)が十(じゅう)二(に)個(こ)だけあります。

   Ano eda ni sakuranbo ga jūni-ko dake arimasu.

   There are only twelve cherries on that branch.

This is one of the most common counter words in Japanese. It can be used to count small, round objects.

個 (eumhun 낱 개 (nat gae))

1. hanja form^? of 개 (“a piece”)
2. hanja form^? of 개 (“a unit”)
3. hanja form^? of 개 (“an item”)

• 개인 (個人, gaein, “individual”)

個: Hán Nôm readings: cá, cái

1. generic classifier

• Nom Foundation