张 (zhāng) — For Flat Things
Paper, tables, beds, photos, and faces
Category: Measure Words
The Rule
张 (zhāng) is used for flat objects or objects with flat surfaces: paper, photos, tickets, tables, desks, beds, maps, and even faces and mouths.
Why This Matters
The shape logic here is 'flat and spread out'. For paper, tickets, and photos it's obvious. Tables and beds are less intuitive until you realize Chinese focuses on the flat surface you use, not the legs underneath. The face/mouth usage comes from the idea of an 'open flat surface'.
Examples
• 一张纸 (yì zhāng zhǐ) — "a piece of paper" [The most classic 张 usage — flat and thin] • 一张桌子 (yì zhāng zhuōzi) — "a table" [Focus on the flat tabletop surface] • 两张票 (liǎng zhāng piào) — "two tickets" [Tickets are flat cards] • 一张照片 (yì zhāng zhàopiàn) — "a photo" [Photos are flat prints] • 一张床 (yì zhāng chuáng) — "a bed" [Focus on the flat sleeping surface]
Common Mistakes
❌ 一个桌子 (yí gè zhuōzi) ✅ 一张桌子 (yì zhāng zhuōzi) → Tables have prominent flat surfaces. Using 个 for furniture with flat tops sounds casual and imprecise. ❌ Using 张 for thick or bound items: 一张书 ✅ 一本书 (yì běn shū) — books use 本 → 张 is for single flat items. Once something is bound into a volume, it becomes 本.
Quick Tip
Flat = 张. If you can slide it under a door (paper, card, ticket, photo), it's definitely 张.
Flat = 张. If you can slide it under a door (paper, card, ticket, photo), it's definitely 张.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: 一个桌子 (yí gè zhuōzi) → Correct: 一张桌子 (yì zhāng zhuōzi). Tables have prominent flat surfaces. Using 个 for furniture with flat tops sounds casual and imprecise.
Incorrect: Using 张 for thick or bound items: 一张书 → Correct: 一本书 (yì běn shū) — books use 本. 张 is for single flat items. Once something is bound into a volume, it becomes 本.
Quiz
Which is correct for 'three photos'?