個

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: 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

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, 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”).

Min Nan classifier and possessive particle

Hokkien ê/gê (classifier), ê (possessive particle), Teochew gai5 (classifier), gai7 (possessive particle): from 其 (OC *ɡɯ) (Li, 2002; Douglas, 1899[1]). Cognate with Min Dong 其 (gì, “possessive particle”), Min Bei 的 (gâ̤, “possessive particle”). The modern forms of these cognates all derive from the 陽平／阳平 (“yangping”) tone.

Wu classifier and possessive particle

Though the expected pronunciation (in for instance Shanghainese) would be /ku/, this has underwent 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. The 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。／我有一个问题。  ―  Wǒ yǒu yī gè wèntí.  ―  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 kei⁵ 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. Alternative classifier, for nouns having specific classifiers. Often colloquial and regional. 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, Wenzhou Wu) 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。／佢争人十个。 [Cantonese]  ―  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 (Shanghainese)) this; that

    個個人／个个人 [Shanghainese]  ―  [ɡ̊əʔ¹¹ ɦəʔ³³  n̠ʲɪɲ²³] [IPA]  ―  this person

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

    [ɡ̊əʔ¹¹ t͡sa̱ʔ³³  a̱ʔ³³ t͡sz̩⁴⁴ v̥əʔ¹¹ d̥a̱³³  sv̩ʷ⁵³] [IPA]

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

15. (Cantonese) Word-initial particle, serving as the definite article.
16. (dialectal Cantonese, Hakka, Min Nan, 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]  ―  [ŋv̩ʷ²² ɦəʔ⁴⁴ ɕiɔ³³ nø⁴⁴] [IPA]  ―  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

17. (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.]

    [piɔ⁵⁵ n̠ʲy²¹ v̥əʔ¹¹ z̥z̩²³ ŋv̩ʷ²³ ɕia̱³³ ɦəʔ⁴⁴] [IPA]

    I didn't write that slogan.

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

    From: 2011, Hu Baotan, 弄堂

    [z̥z̩²² tʰi⁴⁴ lɔ²³ iɔ⁵³ ɦəʔ] [IPA]

    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 example)

18. (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。／佢个人好懒。 [Cantonese]  ―  keoi⁵ go³ jan⁴ hou² laan⁵. [Jyutping]  ―  He/she is such a sluggard.

19. (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.

    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.]

    From: Forvo

    guang¹ sai¹ gai⁵ rig⁸ bung² gai⁷, guang 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.)

20. (dated Shanghainese Wu) Used to indicate the past tense.

    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.]

    From: 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)

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

• 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.

• (height):

• (one):

• (classifier for people):

• (possessive particle):