kǒu HSK 3

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他张开了口。
Tā zhāngkāi le kǒu.
He opened his mouth.
我家有五口人。
Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ kǒu rén.
There are five people in my family.
她喝了一口水。
Tā hē le yī kǒu shuǐ.
She took a sip of water.
我家有五口人。
Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ kǒu rén.
My family has five people.
他有一口好牙。
Tā yǒu yī kǒu hǎo yá.
He has a good set of teeth.

💡 Memory Tip

Remember that 口 itself is the character for 'mouth.' So, when you see it as a classifier, think of it as counting 'mouth-sized' amounts—what you can fit in or take with your mouth in one action.

📝 Usage Notes

It is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, in informal and semi-formal contexts. It is most frequently used when talking about eating, drinking, or smoking (e.g., taking a bite, a sip, or a puff of a cigarette).

📖 Grammar Points

Used in the structure: Verb + 一 + 口 + (Noun). For example: 吃一口披萨 (take a bite of pizza). It can also be used with numbers other than 'one,' e.g., 吃三口 (take three bites).

🏯 Cultural Notes

Using 口 can make speech sound more vivid and descriptive, emphasizing the act of tasting or trying something. In dining contexts, offering someone '一口' of your food is a common and friendly gesture.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to other measure words for food like 个 (gè, a general classifier) or 块 (kuài, for pieces/chunks), 口 specifically emphasizes the action of taking something into the mouth. It is more specific than 个 but less about the shape/size than 块.

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