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March 8, 2014
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
Chinese measure word

Wikipedia

 
In the Chinese language, measure words or classifiers (量词 li??ng c??) are used along with numerals to define the quantity of a given object or objects, or with "this"/"that" to identify specific objects.

In Chinese, simple numerals cannot quantify a noun by itself; instead, the language relies on what are known as measure words or, to a lesser extent, classifiers. There are two types of such classifiers, nominal and verbal, with the latter being used in quantifying verbs and the amount of time which they take precedence. English language|English also has its share of classifiers, however, these are generally understood to be extraneous and ultimately construe the object in question to greater detail. As an example, in the English phrase "a stretch of sand", the word "stretch" is needed to disambiguate whether the sand is actually one grain or an entire beach's worth. Therefore, "stretch" serves to further specify the quantity of sand. We can also speak of "a bucketful of sand", "a grain of sand" or "a ton of sand".

It should be noted that the usage of measure words in Chinese is strictly mandatory, that is, they must be used so long as a quantifying numeral or a pronoun is present (a definite article like English "the" does not exist as such in Chinese). In contrast with the English language wherein "a flock of birds" is roughly equivalent to "some birds", in Chinese only "一群鸟" is possible. Likewise, "a bird" translates to "一只鸟"; it is as though we were forced to say "a specimen of a bird".

Usage also depends on personal preference and dialects. For example, some people use 三部车 (三部車) and others use 三台车 (三台車) to mean three cars. Still others use 三辆车 (三輛車) or in Cantonese 三架车 (三架車), with all of these measure words serving the same purpose.

Some measure words are true units, which all languages must have in order to measure things, e.g. kilometres. These are displayed first, then other nominal classifiers, and finally verbal classifiers.

The first column contains the simplified version of the classifier's character, the second contains the traditional version where it differs, the third contains the pronunciation given in Hanyu Pinyin, and the fourth explains the word's principal uses. Quotation marks surround the literal meaning of the measure word.


True units
1 2 Pinyin Main uses
Time
miǎo "second"
fēn "minute"
刻(mainly in some dialects, such as Shanghaiese, and translations) k? "quarter","15 minutes"
小时 or 钟 (found in southern Chinese) 小時 or 鐘 xiǎosh? or zhōng "hour"
时辰 (ancient) 時辰 sh?ch?n "2 hours"
天 or 日 tiān or r? "day"
年 or 载 年 or 載 ni?n or zǎi "year"
Weight/mass
jīn "catty", "pound"
公斤 gōngjīn "kilogram"
dūn "ton"
Length/distance
公分 or 厘米 (less common) gōngfēn or l?mǐ "centimetre"
c?n "inch"
chǐ "foot"
公尺 or 米 (less common) gōngchǐ or mǐ "metre"
"lǐ", about 1/3 mile
公里 gōnglǐ "kilometre"
Money
yu?n "yu?n", "?" (main unit of currency)
ku?i "yu?n", "?" (slang term, like "quid" or "buck")
jiāo "jiāo", "dime", "tenpence"
m?o "jiāo", "dime", "tenpence" (slang)
fēn "fēn", "cent", "penny"
More idiomatic
1 2 Pinyin Main uses
"handful" ? objects that can be held (knives, keys; also chairs)
bān scheduled services (trains, etc.)
bāo "package", "bundle"
bēi "cup" ? drinks
běn "volume" ? bound print matter (books, etc.)
large quantities of money
b? novels, movies
c? volumes of books
c?ng "storey", "layer" ? buildings, etc
chǎng public spectacles
chu?ng "bed" ? blankets, sheets
c? "time" ? opportunities, accidents
d?o linear projections (light rays, etc.), orders given by an authoritative figure
water, blood, and other such fluids
diǎn ideas, suggestions
dǐng objects with protruding top (hats, etc.)
d?ng buildings
walls and encompassing fixtures
du?n "adjoining length" ? cables, roadways, etc.
du? "couple" ? people
d?n meals
duǒ flowers, clouds
f?n portions
fēng letters, mail
f? works of art (paintings, etc.)
f? "dose" ? (Chinese) medicine
f? objects which come in pairs (gloves, etc.)
ge (g?) individual things, people ? usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier.
gēn thin, slender objects (needles, pillars, etc.)
h?ng objects which form lines (words, etc.)
h? households
huǒ generally derogatory classifier for bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums
jiā gathering of people (families, companies, etc.)
ji? aircraft, pianos
jiān rooms
ji?n matters, clothing, etc.
ji? "section" ? of bamboo, etc.
ji? regularly scheduled sessions or meetings
j? lines, sentences, etc.
trees and other such flora
small objects (hearts, pearls, teeth, etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars and planets)
kǒu people in villages, family members
ku?i "chunk", "lump", "piece" ? land, stones, etc.
l?i objects of the same type or nature
l? "grain"
li?ng automobiles, bicycles, etc.
li? trains
m?n objects pertaining to academics (courses, majors, etc.)
mi?n flat and smooth objects (mirrors, flags, etc.)
m?ng high-ranking persons (doctors, lawyers, politicians, royalty, etc.)
p?i objects grouped in rows (chairs, etc)
p?n flat objects (video cassettes, etc.)
people, goods, etc.
horses and other mounts, rolls/bolts of cloth
piān papers, articles, etc.
pi?n "slice" ? flat objects, cards, slices of bread, etc.
p?ng "bottle" ? drinks
magazines
q?n "group", "herd"
shǒu songs, poems, music, etc.
sh? bunches
shuāng objects which come in pairs
sōu ships
suǒ buildings
t?i heavy objects (TVs, computers, etc.) and performances (theatre, etc.)
t?ng periods of classes, suites of furniture
t?ng scheduled transportation services
t?o "set" ? books, magazines, collectibles, etc.
ti?o long and narrow objects (fish, trousers, etc.)
t?u "head" ? certain animals (pigs, cows, etc.), hair
tu?n "ball" ? rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn, etc.)
w?i polite classifier for people
xi?ng projects
y?ng general items of differing attributes
zhǎn light fixtures (usually lamps)
zhāng "sheet" ? flat objects (paper, tables, etc.), faces, bows, paintings, tickets, constellations
zh?n "gust", "burst" ? events with short durations (lightning storms, gusts of wind)
zhī stick-like objects (pens, chopsticks, etc.)
zhī one of a pair, animals (birds, cats, etc.)
zhī alternative form of 支, can be used for rifles and roses.
zhǒng types or kinds of objects
zu? large structures or mountains

1 2 Pinyin Main uses
bi?n the number of times an action has been completed
chǎng a length of an event taking place within another event
c? times (unlike 遍 in that 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed)
d?n actions without repetition
hu? occurrences (used colloquially)
shēng cries, shouts, etc.
t?ng trips, visitations, etc.
xi? brief and often sudden actions


In modern colloquial speech, 俩 (liǎ) is sometimes used in lieu of 两个 (liǎng ge), thereby assuming the identity of a measure word meaning "two of (such and such)". The same holds true for 仨 (sā), three (items of a general nature).



Colour-coding: measure words are in green and nouns are in purple.
  • 去年我骑了一

Last year, I rode a horse.

  • 电视看了一就坏了。

This television set broke after one viewing.

  • 我订了这两

I've reserved (tickets for) these two buses.

  • 下完这我才会爬那

Only after this rain passes will I climb that mountain.

  • 头发

A hair, a strand of hair.

  • (钟)。

Five minutes(' time)

  • (时间)。

Ten days(' time)


A hundred oxen, a hundred head of cattle.

  • 苹果

An apple

  • 苹果

A pound of apples.

  • 苹果

Some apples, a group of apples.



See also
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chinese measure word".


Last Modified:   2005-02-27


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