[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Abstract-Concepts \ #Quantity # 个 gè Measure word ## Components [[丨 (gǔn)]] [[人 (rén)]] ## Meaning The Chinese character 个 (gè) is a measure word that is used to count individuals or items. It doesn't have a specific meaning on its own, but it's used as a general measure word for people, objects, or things. For example: - 一个人 (yī gè rén) - one person - 两个苹果 (liǎng gè píngguǒ) - two apples It is also used to form the pronoun "自个儿" (zì gěr), meaning "oneself" or "myself". Additionally, 个 (gè) is used in various compound words and phrases, giving meanings related to its different usages. ## History The Chinese character 个 (gè) has a relatively short history: 1. **Modern creation**: 个 (gè) was not present in the ancient scripts like Oracle Bone Script or Bronze Inscription Script. It was created during the Ming Dynasty and standardized in the Kangxi Dictionary during the Qing Dynasty. 2. **Standardization**: The character 个 was introduced as a measure word to count individuals or items. It doesn't have a specific meaning on its own but is used as a general measure word for people, objects, or things. 3. **Usage**: 个 (gè) quickly became one of the most commonly used measure words in the Chinese language due to its versatility and simplicity. Despite being a relatively modern creation, 个 (gè) has become an essential part of the Chinese language, used extensively in everyday communication to count individuals or items. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ? ### Seal Script ![[个seal.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[个cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[个reg.svg]]