📗 Beginner — frequent in early HSK exams
Meaning
Classifier for family members (counting people in a household) and things spoken.
🏮 Cultural Story
中文 Chinese
"口"可能是最温馨的家庭量词了。"三口之家"——爸爸、妈妈和一个孩子，这就是中国人心中最标准的家庭画像。"五口人"说明是个大家庭。"口"作为量词专门用来数**家庭成员**，因为它原本的意思就是"嘴"（一个人的嘴=一个人要吃饭=一个家庭成员）。古代户籍制度中，每家每户都要报"几口人"，这个说法一直沿用至今。"一口井"是另一个用法——井也有"口"（开口），所以也用"口"来计量。
English
**口 (kǒu)** might be the warmest family classifier. "Family of three" — dad, mom, one child: China's ideal family portrait. "Five people" = big family. 口 specifically counts **family members** because it literally means "mouth" (one mouth = one person to feed = one family member). Ancient household registration required reporting "how many mouths (口)" — still used today. "A well (口)" — wells also have openings!
💡 Memory Tip
Almost exclusively used for counting family members (几口人?) or in idioms like 一口流利 (fluent). Super high frequency in daily life!
Examples
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Video Examples
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YouGlish
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Classifier for family members (counting people in a household) and things spoken.