A typical human body cell contains 46 chromosomes. These chromosomes are arranged as 23 pairs inside the cell nucleus: 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes. One chromosome in each pair is inherited from the mother and the other from the father.
This number describes most somatic, or non-reproductive, cells. Human sperm and egg cells are different: they are haploid and normally contain 23 unpaired chromosomes. When fertilization joins them, the resulting zygote has the usual diploid complement of 46 chromosomes.
The number 46 is not the same as the number of genes, and it does not mean every human cell has a visible set of 46 rod-shaped structures at all times. Chromosomes become especially condensed and easy to count during cell division. Mature red blood cells are an important exception because they lose their nuclei, and some specialized cells can have unusual chromosome counts. The 46-chromosome pattern is therefore the standard answer for a typical human body cell, not an absolute rule for every cell type.