套 (tào) — For Sets and Suites
Complete sets: furniture sets, book series, suits, apartments
Category: Measure Words
The Rule
套 (tào) is used for complete sets or collections of things that go together: a set of furniture, a series of books, a suit (matching jacket + pants), an apartment/suite, a set of skills.
Why This Matters
Think of 套 as 'a complete set of' — it emphasizes that multiple items form one cohesive unit. English has 'a set of' and 'a suite of' which are close equivalents. In Chinese real estate, 一套房子 (a set-of apartment) is the standard way to count apartments, which may seem odd until you realize an apartment is a 'set of rooms'.
Examples
• 一套房子 (yí tào fángzi) — "an apartment / a house" [Standard way to count residences — a 'set' of rooms] • 一套西装 (yí tào xīzhuāng) — "a suit (jacket + pants)" [A matching set of formal wear] • 一套书 (yí tào shū) — "a set of books / a book series" [Multiple volumes that form a complete series] • 一套方法 (yí tào fāngfǎ) — "a set of methods / a system" [Abstract: a complete methodology]
Common Mistakes
❌ 一个房子 (yí gè fángzi) for 'an apartment' ✅ 一套房子 (yí tào fángzi) → While 个 is understandable, 套 is standard in real estate contexts. It emphasizes the apartment as a complete living unit. ❌ Using 套 for individual items: 一套书 for one book ✅ 一本书 for one book; 一套书 for a book set/series → 套 always implies multiple items forming a set. A single book is 一本书.
Quick Tip
套 = complete set. If the items belong together as a unit (suit, furniture set, book series, apartment), use 套.
套 = complete set. If the items belong together as a unit (suit, furniture set, book series, apartment), use 套.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: 一个房子 (yí gè fángzi) for 'an apartment' → Correct: 一套房子 (yí tào fángzi). While 个 is understandable, 套 is standard in real estate contexts. It emphasizes the apartment as a complete living unit.
Incorrect: Using 套 for individual items: 一套书 for one book → Correct: 一本书 for one book; 一套书 for a book set/series. 套 always implies multiple items forming a set. A single book is 一本书.
Quiz
What does 一套房子 mean?