单位名词简称“单位词”，是表示事物个体性的词语。单位词大多借用普通名词，因而一般具有词汇意义。

单位词（除了某些表示度量衡的单位词以外）一般都是借用普通名词，它们与其他名词的搭配关系一般比较固定。...... 现将英语中比较常用的单位词分类如下。

a）一般性表示个数的单位词：

piece：a piece ofmeat/paper/chalk/cloth/coal/cake/bread/bacon/

              ice/sugar/land/armour/music/folly/advice/news/information/

              evidence/research/work/furniture ,etc

bit：a bit of news/bread/wood/advice/grass/trouble , etc

item：an item of news/information/crime/expenses/programme/business , etc

article：an article of export/furniture/clothing/luggage , etc

b）以形状表示个数的单位词：

cake：cake of soap/ice

bar：a bar of chocolate/candy

drop：a drop of blood/water/oil/rain/dew , etc

ear：an ear of corn/wheat/barley/millet , etc

flight：a flight of stairs/steps/arrows/rockets/sparrows , etc

grain：a grain of rice/sand/salt/common sanse , etc

head：a / ten head of cabbage/cauliflower/cattle/sheep , etc

loaf：a loaf of bread

lump：a lump of sugar/coal/clay/earth , etc

spiral：a spiral of mosquito incense (一盘蚊香)

slice：a slice of meat/bread/cake/beef/ham , etc  

c）表示容积的单位词：

bottle：a bottle of ink/perfume/milk/wine/cough  mixture , etc

bowl：a bowl of rice/congee/porridge/millet/gruel , etc

pail (bucket)：a pail/bucket of water

glass：a glass of beer

cup：a cup of tea

（摘自章振邦主编的《新编高级英语语法》第235-236页）