1. Measure words for indicating a quantity of people: 个, 位, 条

个 (gè) is used generally:

• 一个人     (yī gè rén - one person)

• 一个大人     (yī gè dà rén - one adult)

• 一个小孩     (yī gè xiǎo hái - one child)

• 一个女孩     (yī gè nǚ hái - one girl)

• 一个男孩     (yī gè nán hái - one boy)

• 一个画家     (yī gè huà jiā - one painter)

• 一个司机     (yī gè sī jī - one driver)

• 一个工人     (yī gè gōng rén - one workman)

• 一个农民     (yī gè nóng mín - one farmer)

• 一个士兵     (yī gè shì bīng - one soldier)

• 一个朋友     (yī gè péng yǒu - one friend)

位 (wèi) is for polite usage:

• 一位同学     (yī wèi tóng xué - one fellow classmate)

• 一位老师     (yī wèi lǎo shī - one teacher)

• 一位客人     (yī wèi kè rén - one guest)

• 一位长官     (yī wèi cháng guān - one commanding officer)

• 一位代表     (yī wèi dài biǎo - one delegate)

条 (tiáo) is used for brave, proud or heroic persons:

• 一条好汉     (yī tiáo hǎo hàn - one true man)

2. Measure words for indicating a quantitiy of animals: 只, 匹, 头, 条, 峰

只 (zhǐ) is used generally:

• 一只狗     (yī zhǐ gǒu - one dog)

• 一只鸟     (yī zhǐ niǎo - one bird)

• 一只猴子     (yī zhǐ hóu zi - one monkey)

• 一只鸡     (yī zhǐ jī - one chicken)

• 一只大象     (yī zhǐ dà xiàng - one elephant)

• 一只羊     (yī zhǐ yáng - one sheep)

• 一只猫     (yī zhǐ māo - one cat)

• 一只老鼠     (yī zhǐ lǎo shǔ - one mouse)

• 一只蝴蝶     (yī zhǐ hú dié - one butterfly)

• 一只虫     (yī zhǐ chóng - one bug)

匹 (pǐ) is used for horses:

• 一匹马     (yī pǐ mǎ - one horse)

头 (tóu) is used for quadrupeds:

• 一头牛     (yī tóu niú - one cow/one head of cattle)

• 一头羊     (yī tóu yáng - one sheep)

• 一头驴     (yī tóu lǘ - one donkey)

• 一头骡     (yī tóu luó - one mule)

• 一头豹子     (yī tóu bào zi - one leopard)

条 (tiáo) is used for legless creatures:

• 一条蛇     (yī tiáo shé - one snake)

• 一条鱼     (yī tiáo yú - one fish)

• 一条虫     (yī tiáo chóng - one worm)

峰 (fēng) is used for animals with humps

• 一峰骆驼     (yī fēng luò tuó - one camel)

3. Measure words for body parts: 个, 只, 颗, 根, 张, 片, 条

个 (gè) is used generally:

• 一个脑子     (yī gè nǎo zǐ - one brain)

• 一个鼻子     (yī gè bí zǐ - one nose)

• 一个耳朵     (yī gè ěr duǒ - one ear)

• 一个舌头     (yī gè shé tóu - one tongue)

• 一个下巴     (yī gè xià bā - one chin)

• 一个手指头     (yī gè shǒu zhǐ tóu - one finger)

• 一个拳头     (yī gè quán tóu - one fist)

只 (zhǐ) is used for units of a pair:

• 一只眼睛     (yī zhǐ yǎn jīng - one eye)

• 一只手     (yī zhǐ shǒu - one hand)

• 一只脚     (yī zhǐ jiǎo - one foot)

颗 (kē) is used for seedy-kernely things:

• 一颗脑袋     (yī kē nǎo dài - one head)

• 一颗牙齿     (yī kē yá chǐ - one tooth)

• 一颗心     (yī kē xīn - one heart)

根 (gēn) is used for long, slender objects:

• 一根头发     (yī gēn tóu fā - one strand of hair)

• 一根眉毛     (yī gēn méi máo - one eyebrow)

张 (zhāng) is used for flat, broad parts:

• 一张嘴     (yī zhāng zuǐ - one mouth)

片 (piàn) (you got me on this one):

• 一片嘴唇     (yī piàn zuǐ chún - one lip)

条 (tiáo) is used for long, slender parts:

• 一条胳臂     (yī tiáo gē bì - one arm)

• 一条腿     (yī tiáo tuǐ - one leg)

• 一条尾巴     (yī tiáo wěi bā - one tail)

4. Measure words for plant life: 棵, 株

棵 (kē) is often, but not exclusively, used for larger trees

• 一棵树     (yī kē shù - one tree)

• 一棵白杨     (yī kē bái yáng - one poplar)

• 一棵草     (yī kē cǎo - one blade of grass)

• 一棵松     (yī kē sōng - one pine)

株 (zhū) is often, but not exclusively, used for smaller trees and shrubs

• 一株树     (yī zhū shù - one tree)

• 一株水稻     (yī zhū shuǐ dào - one rice plant)

• 一株麦子     (yī zhū mài zi - one wheat plant)

5. Measure words for fruits: 个, 粒, 根

个 (gè) is used generally:

• 一个苹果     (yī gè píng guǒ - one apple)

• 一个橘子     (yī gè jú zi - one tangerine)

• 一个柿子     (yī gè shì zi - one persimmon)

• 一个梨     (yī gè lí - one pear)

• 一个李子     (yī gè lǐ zi - one plum)

粒 (lì) is used for small, round fruits:

• 一粒葡萄     (yī lì pú táo - one grape)

• 一粒龙眼     (yī lì lóng yǎn - one longan)

根 (gēn) is used for long, thin fruits:

• 一根香蕉     (yī gēn xiāng jiāo - one banana)

• 一根芭蕉     (yī gēn bā jiāo - one plantain)