个儿
gèr · HSK 5
height
📏 个 (measure word) + 儿 (noun suffix) = the 'individual size' of a thing
个 is the generic measure word for counting items; adding the 儿 suffix turns it into a noun meaning the size or stature of a person or thing. Common in 高个儿 (tall stature) and 小个儿 (short stature).
个 — person 人 over enclosure-like component (simplified from 個)
个 is the simplified form of 個, originally a measure word for bamboo stalks. The traditional form combines 人 (person) with 固 (firm, phonetic). Over time it became the most common general-purpose measure word in Chinese, used for people and many objects without a specific classifier.