<p>Yes, in many cases, the measure word 个 is omitted.  </p>

<p>Examples:  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我校有五百人，其中三人是转校生。<br>
  这起事故造成两人死亡，四人重伤，七人失踪。<br>
  这个活动吸引了近万人参加。<br>
  七十人投了票，二十人弃权。  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, the omission of 个 usually means formality. That means we omit it when we talk in a formal way, eg. report news. But when we talk casually with friends, we tend to add 个:  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我们学校有五百个人，三个是转来的。<br>
  这个车祸，死了两个人，四个人受伤，还有七个人失踪了。<br>
  差不多有一万个人参加了这个活动。<br>
  七十个人投票了，还有二十个弃权了。</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-21T12:48:20.330Z
Is the omission of any measure word a trace of formality?
Enrico Brasil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-21T15:41:43.630Z
No, the omission of a measure word doesn't necessarily show formality in other cases. Generally, the omission of a measure word is just incorrect.
OhLook
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-20T23:30:29.313Z
2018-03-22T06:06:53.007Z
2018-03-22T06:06:53.007Z
OhLook
<p>I have seen sentences like 我们学校有500人。</p>

<p>Why doesn't it have a measure word?</p>

<p>Can 人 appear without a measure word like the words 年 and 天?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-20T23:25:23.950Z
人 can function as a measure (of any body of people,school,class,prison population size)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-21T02:49:38.463Z
also 人次 bkrs：#2909 person-times
visits
classifier for number of people participating 
    若干次人数的总和。
如：「上个月出国观光人次突破百万。」（similarly 架次，千瓦小时）
user6065
<grammar><usage>
Can 人 be used without a measure word?
# Can 人 be used without a measure word?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-20)

I have seen sentences like 我们学校有500人。

Why doesn't it have a measure word?

Can 人 appear without a measure word like the words 年 and 天?

**Tags:** grammar, usage
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 人 can function as a measure (of any body of people,school,class,prison population size)  
> **username_1**: also 人次 bkrs：#2909 person-times visits classifier for number of people participating      若干次人数的总和。 如：「上个月出国观光人次突破百万。」（similarly 架次，千瓦小时）  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-20. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Yes, in many cases, the measure word 个 is omitted.

Examples:

> 我校有五百人，其中三人是转校生。  
> 这起事故造成两人死亡，四人重伤，七人失踪。  
> 这个活动吸引了近万人参加。  
> 七十人投了票，二十人弃权。

However, the omission of 个 usually means formality. That means we omit it when we talk in a formal way, eg. report news. But when we talk casually with friends, we tend to add 个:

> 我们学校有五百个人，三个是转来的。  
> 这个车祸，死了两个人，四个人受伤，还有七个人失踪了。  
> 差不多有一万个人参加了这个活动。  
> 七十个人投票了，还有二十个弃权了。

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is the omission of any measure word a trace of formality?  
> **username_2**: No, the omission of a measure word doesn't necessarily show formality in other cases. Generally, the omission of a measure word is just incorrect.  

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