项

• Pinyin: xiàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 项 = 工 (work) + 页 (page/head) — extended from meaning 'neck' to 'individual item'

Meaning

Item; term; clause. Used as a measure word for individual items, points, or provisions within a list, contract, or plan.

A formal measure word used in administrative, legal, and academic contexts. Commonly used to count items in a list, provisions in a document, or tasks in a plan: 三项任务 (three tasks), 一项规定 (a regulation). Also appears in compound words like 项目 (project) and 事项 (matter/item).

Examples

1. 这份合同共有十项条款，请仔细阅读。 This contract has ten clauses in total — please read them carefully.
2. 会议讨论了五项重要议题，历时三个小时。 The meeting discussed five important agenda items and lasted three hours.
3. 学生需要完成三项课外活动才能毕业。 Students need to complete three extracurricular activities in order to graduate.

Usage Guide

Context: work, law, education

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 本次活动共有六项比赛内容。(This event has six competition items in total.)
• 请填写以下几项基本信息。(Please fill in the following basic pieces of information.)

Don't Say

• 把项用于计量实物物品。(Don't use 项 to count physical objects — use 个, 件, or other appropriate classifiers; 项 is for abstract items, tasks, or provisions.)

Origin & History

Composed of 工 (work) and 页 (page/head), originally referring to the back of the neck, extended to mean an individual item or term in a list.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal