講英文別只會 one, two, three！這些生活用法才最重要！
今天MJ English 要帶你一次搞懂英文裡的「量詞」怎麼用：
「a cup of」和「a glass of」什麼差別？
「two coffees」到底算錯還是口語？
a piece of」跟「a slice of」有差嗎？
「a sheet of paper」 vs. 「a piece of paper」
特別形狀的量詞「a bar / a cake / a roll」
群體的量詞：a bunch / a herd / a school
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https://buymeacoffee.com/mjenglish/one-two-three-3800941
▶【請我們喝杯咖啡】
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▶【Youtube影片練習】
https://www.youtube.com/@mjenglish
M: Welcome to MJ English. The other day I was just making a sandwich for lunch, super simple. And I grabbed a piece of cheese, then another piece, and it just got me thinking.
M：歡迎來到 MJ 英語。有天我中午在做個超簡單的三明治，拿了一片起司，接著又拿了一片，突然讓我開始思考。
J: About cheese.
J：是在想起司喔？
M: Yeah, but more about how we actually talk about quantity in English. Sometimes it's really easy, like one apple, two apples, done.
M：有啦，不過更是在想我們英文到底是怎麼表達「數量」的。有時候很簡單啊，像是一顆蘋果、兩顆蘋果，就搞定了。
J: Right, straightforward.
J：對啊，很直覺。
M: But then you get to stuff like coffee or paper, you wouldn't really say one coffee.
M：但遇到像是咖啡或是紙這種東西，你就不會說「一個咖啡」。
J: Or two papers usually.
J：或是「兩個紙」，這也怪怪的。
M: It's kind of a little puzzle, right? So English uses these special words, these counters, for things you can't just count easily, these uncountable things.
M：這其實是個小謎題耶。所以英文會用一些特別的詞，也就是「量詞」，來講這些不太能直接數的東西，也就是不可數名詞。
J: Exactly. The technical term is uncountable nouns.
J：沒錯，學術上就叫做「不可數名詞」。
M: So today, let's maybe unpack those words, break them down, make them hopefully a lot easier for you to understand and use.
M：所以今天，我們就來拆解這些用法，讓你聽得懂、學得會，用起來更順手！
J: That sounds like a great plan. And it's really useful stuff. Understanding these words makes your English sound much more natural.
J：這主意讚耶！這些內容超實用，搞懂這些量詞，你講英文會自然很多喔～
M: More like a native speaker, yeah.
M：就比較像母語人士那樣啦～
J: And it's not just about grammar rules from a book. It's really practical. It helps people understand exactly what you mean. Like when you're ordering food in the US maybe, or just talking about things you have at home.
J：這不是什麼硬梆梆的文法規則，而是很實用的東西。像是在美國點餐，或是在家聊天，這些量詞都能幫助你表達得更清楚。
M: Avoids confusion.
M：才不會讓人聽不懂啦。
J: Definitely. It helps avoid that confusion in just everyday chats.
J：真的，日常對話很需要這些清楚的表達。
M: Okay, so let's start exploring how we count things then. Basically, we have two main kinds of nouns in English. Some are easy to count, others, not so much.
M：好，那我們就開始聊聊英文是怎麼「數」東西的吧～基本上英文名詞有兩種：一種很好數，另一種就不太好數。
J: That's the core idea. You've got nouns like apples, chairs, things you can point to, right? One apple, two chairs. We call those countable nouns.
J：對，這是重點！像是蘋果啊、椅子啊這種能一顆一顆點的，我們就叫它「可數名詞」。
M: Okay. Countable, easy.
M：了解，可數名詞，好懂。
J: They have a singular form, one apple, and a plural form, two apples. But then you have other nouns. Think about water, or rice, or maybe information.
J：這類詞有單數（像 one apple）跟複數（像 two apples）。但有些詞就不行了，像是水、水煮飯、資訊這種。
M: Right. You can't really say one water or two rices.
M：對啊，你不會說「一個水」、「兩個飯」。
J: Exactly. You generally can't count them directly like that. These are uncountable nouns. And they usually don't have a plural form.
J：沒錯，這些沒辦法直接數，我們就稱它們是「不可數名詞」，通常也不會有複數形。
M: And that's where these special counting words or quantifiers come into play.
M：這時候，我們就要用到「量詞」或是「量的單位」啦。
J: Okay, so if I can't say one coffee, what do I say when I'm standing in a cafe line? Let's start with liquids, they seem pretty common. What about hot drinks?
J：那如果我不能說「一個咖啡」，那在咖啡店排隊的時候我要怎麼點？我們從液體開始聊好了，這感覺大家常遇到。那熱飲怎麼說？
M: Good place to start. For warm drinks, especially thinking about American cafes, we almost always use "a cup of."
M：這是個不錯的切入點～講到美國的咖啡店，我們幾乎都會說「a cup of」。
M: "A cup of," okay.
M：「a cup of」，了解。
J: So you'd ask for a cup of coffee. Or a cup of tea. Maybe a cup of hot cocoa.
J：所以你可以說「a cup of coffee」、「a cup of tea」，或者「a cup of hot cocoa」。
M: Cocoa!
M：可可！
J: It's about the container, a cup.
J：這其實是根據容器來算的，就是用「杯」來計算。
M: Makes sense. So what about cold drinks then? If I just want water.
M：蠻合理的。那冷飲呢？如果我想喝水的話？
J: Right. For cold drinks, particularly ones you'd normally drink from a glass container, we use "a glass of."
J：對～冷飲，特別是會用玻璃杯喝的那種，我們就說「a glass of」。
M: A glass of.
M：「a glass of」，Got it～
J: So a really common phrase is, "Can I have a glass of water, please?" Polite, very standard.
J：最常聽到的句子像是「Can I have a glass of water, please?」這是很禮貌、很標準的說法喔。
M: Okay.
M：好，我記下來。
J: Or you could have a glass of milk, cold milk, maybe with cookies, that classic American thing.
J：你也可以說「a glass of milk」，冷牛奶配餅乾，超經典的美式搭配。
M: Ah, yeah.
M：喔對對對～
J: Or a glass of orange juice, a glass of soda, even a glass of beer or a glass of wine served in a glass.
J：還有「a glass of orange juice」、「a glass of soda」，甚至「a glass of beer」、「a glass of wine」也是這樣說，因為它們都用杯子裝。
M: Got it. Cup for hot, glass for cold, usually. Now, here's something I hear learners ask a lot: How do we make these plural? If I want two coffees or three waters, what then?
M：懂了～熱的用 cup，冷的用 glass。那有一個學生常問的問題：如果我要兩杯咖啡、三杯水，要怎麼說？
J: That's a super important point. When you need more than one, you make the container word plural, not the liquid itself.
J：這個超重要喔！你要講超過一杯時，是讓「容器的量詞」變複數，不是液體本身。
M: Ah, okay, so the cup or the glass.
M：喔～所以是「cup」或「glass」變複數。
J: Exactly. So it becomes two cups of coffee, not two coffees. Or three glasses of water, not three waters.
J：完全正確！說「two cups of coffee」，不是「two coffees」；說「three glasses of water」，不是「three waters」。
M: Right, right.
M：了解了解～
J: The words "cup" and "glass," those become plural, but "coffee" and "water" just stay the same.
J：是「cup」跟「glass」要加 s，而「coffee」、「water」都維持原樣。
M: Okay, that clears things up. But sometimes you do hear people in a cafe say, "I'll have three coffees." Are they just being lazy?
M：那我懂了～但有時候在咖啡店真的會聽到人說「I'll have three coffees」，那這樣是偷懶嗎？
J: Yeah. Well, in very casual, quick-spoken English, especially when ordering, people definitely shorten it like that. It happens.
J：對，這種在口語很快的情況下，尤其是點餐時，大家真的會這樣簡略說，蠻常見的。
M: So it's informal.
M：所以這種說法比較口語、不正式。
J: Very informal. But for grammatically correct English and just clearer communication overall, three cups of coffee is really the standard way. It's just more precise.
J：非常口語。真正標準又文法正確的講法還是「three cups of coffee」，這樣溝通也比較清楚、準確。
M: Okay, precision matters. Got it. So liquids seem clearer now. What about solid things? Back to my sandwich cheese example. If it's not a whole block, just a part, a chunk, what's the word?
M：了解，準確真的很重要。那液體我懂了，那固體呢？回到我三明治裡的起司問題，如果不是整塊，而是分一小塊的話，那英文怎麼說？
J: For just a general part, or a chunk of something, the go-to word is "a piece of."
J：如果只是某個東西的一部分，一小塊，就會用「a piece of」。
M: A piece of.
M：「a piece of」～
J: It's super versatile. You could have a piece of bread, a piece of meat, a piece of cake, like at a birthday party. It even works for things like a piece of cloth, just part of it.
J：這個超好用！可以說一片麵包 a piece of bread、一塊肉 a piece of meat、一塊蛋糕 a piece of cake（像生日派對那種），甚至像布料 a piece of cloth 也可以用，意思就是一部分。
M: And isn't it used for non-physical things too? I feel like I learned that, like ideas.
M：欸它是不是也能用在不是實體的東西？我記得以前有學到，像是想法什麼的。
J: You're absolutely right, and that's a really useful one. You can ask for a piece of information or give someone a piece of advice.
J：你記得沒錯！這個用法超實用的～你可以說 a piece of information（一則資訊），或是 a piece of advice（一點建議）。
M: Interesting. Counting advice.
M：原來「建議」也能「數」喔！
J: Kind of shows how these words are about packaging things, right? Not just physical stuff.
J：對啊，這就表示量詞其實是在「包裝」東西的概念，不只是實體的東西。
M: Back to your sandwich cheese, or maybe chocolate. If you buy a whole candy bar, like a Hershey's bar here in the US, that's usually a bar of chocolate. But if you just break off a smaller part…
M：講回你剛剛的三明治起司，或是巧克力好了。像你如果買一整條的巧克力棒，像美國那種 Hershey’s，那就是「a bar of chocolate」。但如果你只是掰一小塊下來…
M: Then it's a piece of chocolate.
M：那就變成「a piece of chocolate」啦。
J: Exactly. See the difference? Bar is the whole formatted thing, piece is just a bit.
J：沒錯，你看出差別了吧？「bar」是整塊有固定形狀的，「piece」只是隨便掰下來的一小塊。
M: Okay, I see. So a piece of is general. What if it's cut really thin and flat, like my sandwich cheese probably?
M：我懂了～所以「a piece of」是比較通用的說法。那如果是切得很薄又扁的，像我的起司片那樣呢？
J: Yes. For those thin, flat portions that are cut from something bigger, we use "a slice of."
J：對！如果是從大塊東西切下來、薄薄扁扁的一片，我們就用「a slice of」。
M: A slice of. Okay.
M：「a slice of」，好～
J: So you'd have a slice of bread, which is different from a piece of bread, right? A slice implies it's thin, probably cut evenly.
J：像是「a slice of bread」（一片麵包），這就跟「a piece of bread」不一樣喔～「slice」通常是薄的、切得很整齊的那種。
M: Right, like from a loaf.
M：對對對，像是一整條麵包切下來的那種。
J: Exactly. You also have a slice of ham, a slice of lemon, maybe for your tea, or like you said, a slice of cheese. Perfect for sandwiches or burgers.
J：沒錯，像是「a slice of ham」（一片火腿）、或是泡茶用的「a slice of lemon」、還有你說的「a slice of cheese」～這些都超適合夾三明治或漢堡用。
M: So, quick check: a piece of is any old part, could be chunky, uneven. A slice of means thin, flat, cut neatly.
M：快速複習一下：「a piece of」就是隨便一塊，可能厚也可能不規則；「a slice of」就是薄薄扁扁的、切得整整齊齊的。
J: Precisely. That's a great way to remember the distinction. And sticking with flat things for a second, but maybe larger, more rectangular, we have another word: "a sheet of."
J：完全正確！這樣記就很清楚。然後如果還是扁扁的東西，但比較大、像長方形那樣，我們會說「a sheet of」。
M: Oh yeah, like paper. A sheet of paper for the printer. I might ask someone, "Can you hand me two sheets of paper?"
M：喔對～像是紙。影印機用的那種「a sheet of paper」。我可能會說：「Can you hand me two sheets of paper？」（你可以給我兩張紙嗎？）
J: Perfect example. What else comes in sheets? You could have a sheet of glass, like for a window pane. Or a sheet of ice on a lake in winter, even a sheet of metal. That word "sheet" just gives you that picture, right? Flat, thin, often rectangular.
J：這例子完美！還有什麼能用「sheet」？像窗戶用的玻璃「a sheet of glass」、湖面上結的冰「a sheet of ice」、或者金屬片「a sheet of metal」～這個字會讓你聯想到又扁又平、通常是長方形的東西。
M: It does. So what's the difference then between a sheet of paper and a piece of paper? They sound kind of similar.
M：真的耶～那「a sheet of paper」跟「a piece of paper」有什麼差別？聽起來有點像耶。
J: Good question. A sheet of paper usually implies a whole, standard-sized, neat piece, you know, like out of a package for your printer. But a piece of paper, that could be just a small bit, maybe torn off, an irregular shape, like a little scrap you'd jot a phone number on.
J：好問題！「a sheet of paper」通常是指一張完整、標準大小的紙，像是影印紙那種。而「a piece of paper」可能是撕下來的一小角、不規則的形狀，像你隨手寫電話號碼的那種小紙條。
M: Ah, okay. So sheet is more like the whole intended form, and piece is just a part.
M：喔～所以「sheet」是原本完整的那種，「piece」是隨便一小塊。
J: You got it. Depends on what kind of paper situation you're talking about.
J：你說得對，重點就是看你在講哪種「紙」的情境。
M: This is really clicking now. Okay, now things get maybe a little more specific, right? English has words for particular shapes too. What about a bar of soap? You mentioned bar of chocolate earlier.
M：這我開始越聽越懂了～那接下來有些更特別的形狀對吧？英文好像對特定形狀也有對應的量詞。像剛剛講「a bar of chocolate」，那「a bar of soap」也可以？
J: Right. So for small, solid blocks like that, sometimes you'll hear "a cake of," like a cake of soap.
J：對～像那種小小一塊的固體，有時候也會說「a cake of」，像是「a cake of soap」（一塊香皂）。
M: A cake of soap? Really?
M：「a cake of soap」？真的假的？
J: Yeah. Although, honestly, in the US nowadays, a bar of soap is much more common. "Cake of" sounds a little older maybe.
J：真的啦～不過老實說，現在美國大多還是說「a bar of soap」比較多，「a cake of」比較老派一點。
M: Okay, bar of soap it is.
M：好啦，那就記「a bar of soap」吧～
J: But you can still hear "a cake of tofu" for the block form, or maybe even "a cake of ice" for a solid block.
J：不過像豆腐塊，還是會有人說「a cake of tofu」，或是一大塊冰「a cake of ice」也行。
M: Interesting, okay. And what about things that come rolled up? I'm thinking of something you find in every American bathroom.
M：好酷喔～那如果是捲成一卷的東西呢？我想到每個美國廁所都會有的東西。
J: You're definitely thinking of "a roll of toilet paper."
J：你一定是在說「a roll of toilet paper」（一卷衛生紙）！
M: Yeah, that's the one.
M：對～就是那個！
J: Classic example. But the word "roll" works for other rolled things too. A roll of paper towels, a roll of film, if you remember old cameras, a roll of tape for wrapping gifts, a roll of ribbon, even a roll of carpet when you buy it new. Anything rolled.
J：這是經典範例～「a roll of」也可以用在其他會被捲起來的東西上，像是「a roll of paper towels」（一卷廚房紙巾）、「a roll of film」（一卷底片）、「a roll of tape」（一卷膠帶）、「a roll of ribbon」（一卷緞帶）、甚至地毯也是「a roll of carpet」。
M: Got it. A roll of… okay. How about vegetables? Some grow in that sort of round, tight shape, like lettuce. What do we buy at the grocery store?
M：懂了～「a roll of」用在會捲的東西。那蔬菜呢？像是結成一球的那種，像萵苣，我們在超市會買什麼？
J: For those, we use "a head of" because, well, they look a bit like a head.
J：這類的會說「a head of」，因為它們長得像人頭一樣（笑）。
M: A head of. Okay.
M：「a head of」，好。
J: So you'd buy a head of lettuce for making salads, or a head of cabbage, a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower. Even a head of celery is common.
J：像沙拉會用到「a head of lettuce」（一顆萵苣）、或是「a head of cabbage」（高麗菜）、「a head of broccoli」（花椰菜）、「a head of cauliflower」（白花椰），甚至「a head of celery」（一整株芹菜）都行。
M: A head of celery? Wow, okay.
M：「a head of celery」也可以？哇～真新奇。
J: But then, if you just pull off, say, a few leaves from the lettuce…
J：但如果你只是撕幾片葉子下來…
M: Then it's different.
M：那就不一樣了！
J: Then you'd just say three lettuce leaves or something like that. "Head" is for the whole compact unit.
J：這時候就會說「three lettuce leaves」（三片萵苣葉）這樣～「a head of」是指整顆的。
M: Makes sense, it's really visual.
M：我懂了～這真的蠻靠想像畫面的。
J: Okay, last one for shapes. Long, thin, straight things.
J：好，最後一種形狀～細細長長、直直的東西。
M: For those, think "a stick of."
M：這時候要用「a stick of」。
M: A stick of.
M：「a stick of」，記住了。
J: A classic American thing is a stick of gum, you know, the chewing gum that comes in those flat, rectangular sticks.
J：超經典的例子就是「a stick of gum」（一條口香糖），那種扁扁長長的口香糖。
M: Yeah, totally. Like Wrigley's.
M：對啦～像 Wrigley’s 那種。
J: Exactly. You also have a stick of chalk for a blackboard, a stick of butter for baking comes in that shape, or even a stick of celery again if you're just eating one stalk as a snack.
J：沒錯，還有「a stick of chalk」（一根粉筆）、「a stick of butter」（一條奶油）、甚至你拿一根芹菜來吃也可以說「a stick of celery」。
M: Okay, a stick of. Got it. Wow, there are quite a few. So we've done liquids, pieces, sheets, specific shapes. What about groups, when things naturally come together? We have words for those too, right?
M：好～「a stick of」記住了。哇，這些真的蠻多的耶。我們講了液體、碎片、紙張、形狀，那像是「一群」或「一堆」這種天然成群的東西，也有對應的量詞吧？
J: We absolutely do. Think about bananas or grapes at the store. How do they hang together? We use "a bunch of" for clusters of fruits usually. A bunch of bananas, a bunch of grapes.
J：當然有啊！像你去超市買香蕉或葡萄，它們都是一整串的對吧？這時候就會用「a bunch of」～像「a bunch of bananas」（一串香蕉）、「a bunch of grapes」（一串葡萄）。
M: Okay.
M：OK～
J: Now here's a little detail. Even though you use "a bunch of," bananas and grapes are actually countable individually, right? So notice we still say "bananas" and "grapes" with an "s" because the bunch contains many individual items.
J：這邊有個小細節喔！雖然我們說「a bunch of」，但香蕉跟葡萄本身其實是「可數」的，所以後面還是加 s：「bananas」、「grapes」，因為一串裡有很多個嘛～
M: Ah, good point. So a bunch of bananas, plural noun.
M：喔～好細的差別！所以「a bunch of bananas」後面那個「bananas」還是複數的。
J: Right. You could also have a bunch of keys for your house keys all together, a bunch of parsley for cooking, a bunch of flowers if someone gives you a bouquet.
J：對～像你一串鑰匙可以說「a bunch of keys」、一把香菜是「a bunch of parsley」，送花的花束也可以說「a bunch of flowers」。
M: And groups of animals? What about fish swimming together?
M：那動物的一群咧？像魚群游在一起的那種？
J: For fish or other sea animals moving together in the water, the word is "a school of."
J：如果是魚或海裡那種動物聚在一起，我們會說「a school of」。
M: A school? Like where kids learn?
M：「a school」？是學校那個字嗎？
J: No, different meaning. Same word, totally different idea. It's just the specific collective noun for fish. So, a school of fish or a school of dolphins, a school of whales.
J：對～字一樣但意思完全不同啦！「a school of」就是專門用來表示魚群的量詞，像是「a school of fish」（一群魚）、「a school of dolphins」（一群海豚）、「a school of whales」（一群鯨魚）。
M: A school of whales, got it. Not a building.
M：「a school of whales」，懂了～不是那種有教室的 school 啦（笑）。
J: Definitely not a building. And then for groups of big land animals, like cows on a farm or maybe deer out in the woods…
J：哈哈對～絕對不是建築物！那如果是陸地上的大型動物，像農場的牛、或森林裡的鹿…
M: Is there a word for that too?
M：這也有量詞可以用嗎？
J: Yep. Especially for animals you might see on American ranches or out west, we use "a herd of."
J：有喔～特別是你在美國牧場那種地方會看到的動物，我們會用「a herd of」。
M: A herd of.
M：「a herd of」，好～
J: So, a herd of cattle, that's cows, or a herd of buffaloes. You might also see a herd of deer.
J：像是「a herd of cattle」（一群牛）、「a herd of buffaloes」（一群水牛），或是「a herd of deer」（一群鹿）。
M: Okay, a herd of. Wow, this has actually really helped me see the pattern.
M：了解了，「a herd of」。哇，這真的讓我整個看懂英文的數法邏輯耶！
J: So maybe next time you're at the grocery store or just looking around your kitchen, try to think, "How would I count this in English? Is it a cup, a slice, a roll? Is that a head of lettuce or a bunch of bananas?"
J：你下次去超市，或是在家廚房晃一圈，可以試著想：「這個東西英文要怎麼數？要用 cup、slice、roll？這顆是 head of lettuce 還是 bunch of bananas？」
M: That's a great little challenge, actively thinking about it.
M：這挑戰不錯耶～邊看邊想，真的會更熟。
J: It makes it stick.
J：這樣會記得更牢喔。
M: And maybe here's something else to think about as you continue learning English. When you learn a new noun, don't just learn the word itself. Try to picture the thing. Is it a liquid? Is it flat? Is it long and thin like a stick? Does it come in a group? Thinking about its physical nature, that might actually help you remember the right counting word to use with it.
M：而且我覺得學英文還有個重點：你學一個新名詞時，不要只背那個字本身，要去想像它是什麼樣子。是液體嗎？是扁扁的嗎？還是像 stick 那種細長型？是一群的？你只要理解它的「形狀」或「狀態」，就會比較容易記得對的量詞怎麼配。
J: That's a fantastic tip. Connecting the word to the image.
J：這個方法超棒！把單字跟畫面連起來記。
M: So what does all this mean for you listening? Keep exploring these words. Keep listening to how people use them and definitely keep practicing.
M：那你聽到這裡的話，接下來可以做什麼？繼續去觀察這些量詞～多聽聽人家怎麼用，多練習，才會越來越自然。
J: Well, thanks for joining us for this look at how we count things in English here on MJ English. We really hope this helps you feel a bit more confident, a bit more natural in your everyday English conversations.
J：感謝大家收聽我們 MJ English 的「英文怎麼數東西」單元！希望今天的內容能讓你講英文更有自信、更自然～
M: Hope it was helpful.
M：希望今天真的有幫助到你～
J: Until next time.
J：我們下次見囉！
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