Chinese measure word

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In the modern Chinese languages, measure words or classifiers (traditional Chinese: 量詞; simplified Chinese: 量词; pinyin: liàngcí; Cantonese (Yale): leung4 chi4) 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, a simple numeral 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 also has its share of classifiers, however these are generally understood to be extraneous and ultimately construe the object in question with 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". Other examples are the word "slice" as in "a slice of bread" and "glass" as in "a glass of water". Contrast these phrases with "a sand", "a bread", and "a water".

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 "一群鳥" (一群鸟) is possible. Likewise, "a bird" should be translated into "一隻鳥" (一只鸟); it is as though English speakers were forced to say "an instance of bird".

Usage also depends on personal preference and dialects. For example, some people use 三部車; (三部车) and others use 三台車 (三台车) to mean three cars. Still others use 三輛車 (三辆车) or in Cantonese 三架車 (三架车), 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.

In the following tables, the first column contains the traditional version of the classifier's character, the second contains the simplified version where it differs, the third contains the pronunciation given in Hanyu Pinyin, the fourth contains the pronunciation given in Cantonese romanization (Yale), and the fifth explains the word's principal uses. Quotation marks surround the literal meaning of the measure word.

Contents

[edit] Nominal Classifiers

[edit] True units

Column key:

  • Trad. is Traditional
  • Simp. shows changes made for the simplified variant (if any)
Trad. Simp. Pinyin Cantonese Main uses
Time
秒 miǎo miu5 "second"
分 fēn fan1 "minute"
刻 kè hak1 haak1 "quarter","15 minutes" (mainly in some dialects, such as Shanghainese, and translations)
小時 小时 xiǎoshí siu2 si4 "hour" (not itself a measure word)
鐘 钟 zhōng jung1 "hour" (found in southern Chinese, not a measure word, must be used with 個/个)
時辰 时辰 shíchén si4 san4 "2 hours" (ancient, not a measure word, must be used with 個/个)
天 tiān tin1 "day"
日 rì yat6 "day"
年 nián nin4 "year"
載 载 zǎi joi2 joi3 "year" (ancient)
世紀 世纪 shìjì sai3 gei2 "century" (not a measure word, must be used with 個/个 to express a number of centuries) (100 years)
Weight/mass
克 kè hak1 haak1 "gram"
兩 两 liǎng 50 grams(1/10 jīn), used to be 1/16 jīn
斤 jīn gan1 "catty", "pound", 1/2 kilograms
公斤 gōngjīn gung1 gan1 "metric jīn", kilogram
千克 qiānkè chin1 hak1/haak1 "kilogram"
噸 吨 dūn deun1 "ton"
Length/distance
公分 gōngfēn gung1 fan1 "metric fēn",centimetre
厘米 límǐ lei4 mai5 "centimetre" (More common in Mainland China)
寸 cùn chyun3 Chinese "inch" (⅓ of a decimetre)
吋 cùn chyun3

British inch
尺 chǐ che2/chek3 Chinese "foot" (⅓ of a metre)
呎 chǐ chek3 British foot
英尺 yīngchǐ ying1 chek3 British foot
公尺 gōngchǐ gung1 chek3 "metric chǐ", metre
米 mǐ mai5 "metre"
里 lǐ lei5 "lǐ", (500 metres)
哩 lǐ le1/lei5/li1 British mile
英里 yīnglǐ ying1 lei5 British mile
公里 gōnglǐ gung1 lei5 "kilometre" (1000 metres)
天文單位 天文单位 tiānwéndānwèi tin1 man4 daan1 wai2 "astronomical unit"
光年 guāngnián gwong1 nin4 "light year"
秒差距 miǎochājù miu5 cha1 geui6 "parsec"
Money
圓/元 圆/元 yuán yun4 "yuán", "¥" (main unit of currency)
(either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
塊 块 kuài faai3 "block", yuán (a slang term, like "quid" or "buck")
角 jiǎo gok3 "jiǎo", "dime", "tenpence"
毛 máo hou4 "máo", "dime", "tenpence" (slang)
分 fēn fan1/fan6 "fēn", "cent", "penny"

[edit] More idiomatic

Column key: Trad. is Traditional, Simp. shows changes made for the simplified variant (if any).

Trad. Simp. Pinyin Cantonese (Yale Romanization) Main uses
把 bǎ ba2 "handful" — objects that can be held, relatively long and flat objects (knives 刀, scissors 剪刀, swords 劍/剑, keys 鑰匙/钥匙; also chairs 椅子)
班 bān baan1 scheduled services (trains 火車/火车, etc.), group of people 人, a class as in pupils 學生/学生
帮 bāng "group", "gang" (bandits 匪徒, children 孩子 )
包 bāo baau1 "package", "bundle" (cookies 餅乾/饼干, cigarettes 香煙/香烟)
杯 bēi bui1 "cup" — liquids (water 水)
輩 辈 bèi "generation", "lifetime" (people 人)
本 běn bun2 "volume" — bound print matter (books 書/书, etc.)
筆 笔 bǐ bat1 large quantities of money (money 錢/钱, funds 資金/资金)
部 bù bou6 novels 小說/小说, movies 電影/电影, TV dramas etc
冊/册 冊/册 cè chaak3 volumes of books (冊 is more common in Traditional Chinese, 册 vice versa)
層 层 céng chaang4 "story", "layer" — buildings 樓/楼, etc
場 场 chǎng cheung4 public spectacles, games 比賽/比赛, drama 戲/戏, film 電影/电影, etc
處 处 chù "location", "site" — ruins 廢墟/废墟, construction site 工地
床 chuáng chong4 "bed" — blankets 毯子, sheets
次 cì chi3 "time" — opportunities 機會/机会, accidents 事故
齣 出 chū acts in a play, "performance" — plays 戲/戏, circus 馬戲/马戏, etc
袋 dài doi6 "bag" — sackfuls, pouchfuls, bagfuls, pocketfuls — flour 麵粉/面粉
道 dào dou6 linear projections (light rays 亮光, etc.), orders given by an authority figure 命令, courses (of food) 點心/点心, walls and doors 門/门, questions 題/题, number of times (for certain procedures) 工序
滴 dī dik6 "droplet" water 水, blood 鮮血/鲜血, other such fluids
點 点 diǎn dim2 ideas 意見/意见, suggestions, can also mean "a bit" (often used to denote amount) — courage 膽量/胆量
頂 顶 dǐng deng2 objects with protruding top (hats 帽子, etc.)
棟 栋 dòng dung6 lit. pillars, used for buildings 房子
堵 dǔ dou6 walls and encompassing fixtures 牆/墙
段 duàn dyun6 "adjoining length" — cables 電線/电线, roadways 路, a part in a drama, play etc. 臺詞/台词
對 对 duì deui3 "couple" — people 人, "pair" (for certain things only) earrings 耳環/耳环, couplets,
堆 duī deui3 "pile", "mass" — trash 垃圾, sand 沙子
頓 顿 dùn deun6 meals 飯/饭
朵 duǒ do2/deu2 flowers 花, clouds 雲/云
發 发 fā fa1 Military projectiles, such as bullets 子彈/子弹, artillery shells 炮彈/炮弹, rockets, guided missiles etc.
份 fèn fan6 portions, copies — newspapers 報紙/报纸, notarized document 公證/公证, contract 合同
封 fēng fung1 letters 信, mail, fax 傳真/传真
幅 fú fuk1 works of art (paintings 畫兒/画儿, etc.)
服 fù fuk6 "dose" — (Chinese) medicine
副 fù fu3 objects which come in pairs (gloves 手套, etc.) also for spectacles 眼鏡/眼镜, a pack of cards 牌, mahjong 麻將/麻将
個 个 ge (gè) go3 individual things, people — general, catch-all measure word (usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier)
根 gēn gan1 thin, slender objects (needles 針/针, pillars 支柱, etc.); strands 絲/丝(e.g. hair 頭髮/头发)
股 gǔ gu2 flows (of air 氣/气, smell 香味, influence 潮流)....
管 guǎn "tube" — toothpaste and things that comes in tubes — toothpaste 牙膏
罐 guàn Small to medium cans of soda, of juice, bottles of water, cans of food...
行 háng hong4 "row" — objects which form lines (words 詞/词, etc.). — 行 is also read xíng, see below.
盒 hé hap6 "small box" — e.g. tape, foods
戶/户 户 hù wu6 households (户 is common in handwritten Traditional Chinese) — household 人家
壺 壶 hú pot — tea 茶
伙 huǒ fo2 generally derogatory classifier for bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums (匪徒)
劑 剂 jì dose (medicine 藥/药)
家 jiā ga1 gathering of people (families 人家, companies 公司, etc.), establishments (shops 商店, restaurants 酒店, hotels 飯店/饭店)
架 jià ga3 aircraft 飛機/飞机, pianos 琴, machines 儀器/仪器
間 间 jiān gaan1 rooms 屋子
件 jiàn gin6 matters (affairs 事情), clothing 衣裳, etc.
節 节 jié jit3 "section" — of bamboo 竹子, etc.; a class period at school 課/课; batteries (that look like a section of bamboo): "兩節電池。"
屆 届 jiè gaai3 regularly scheduled sessions or meetings 會/会, year-groups in a school (e.g. Class of 2006) 畢業生/毕业生
句 jù geui3 lines, sentences, etc. — sentence 話/话, English 英語/英语
卷 juǎn "roll" scrolls - film 膠卷/胶卷, toilet paper 手紙/手纸
棵 kē po1 trees (樹/树) and other such flora
顆 颗 kē fo2 small objects (hearts 心, pearls 珠子, teeth 牙齒/牙齿, diamonds 鑽石/钻石, etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars 星星 and planets 星球)
口 kǒu hau2 people in villages 人, family members; wells 井
塊 块 kuài faai3 "chunk", "lump", "piece" — land 地, stones 石頭/石头, etc.; cake 蛋糕 (piece/slice), bread (not slices) 麵包/面包, "dollar" 錢/钱
類 类 lèi leui6 objects of the same type or category — affair 事情, circumstance 情況/情况
粒 lì lap1 "grain", small objects such as a grain of rice 米
輛 辆 liàng leung2 wheeled vehicles: automobiles 汽車/汽车, bicycles 自行車/自行车, etc.
列 liè lit6 trains 火車/火车
輪 轮 lún round — competition 比賽/比赛, discussions 會談/会谈
枚 méi mui4 medals 獎章/奖章, small flat things like stamps 郵票/邮票 or coins 硬幣/硬币, banana peels, bomb shells 大砲/大炮, also for rings 戒指
門 门 mén mun4 objects pertaining to academics (courses 課/课, majors 專業/专业, etc.), also for artillery pieces 大砲/大炮.
面 miàn min6 "surface" — flat and smooth objects (mirrors 鏡子/镜子, flags 旗子, etc.)
名 míng ming4 honorific, or persons with perceived higher social rank (doctors 醫生/医生, lawyers 律師/律师, politicians, royalty, etc.); in formal language, can also be used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking, e.g. mother 母親)
排 pái paai4 "row" — objects grouped in rows (chairs 座位, etc)
盤 盘 pán pun4 flat objects (video cassettes 錄影帶/录影带, etc.); literally means "dishes" and can be used for a plate of food
批 pī pai1 (a large amount of) people 人, goods 商品, etc.
匹 pǐ pat1 horses 馬/马 and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth 佈/布
篇 piān pin1 written work: papers 論文/论文, articles 文章, novels etc.
片 piàn pin3 "slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread 麵包/面包, etc.
瓶 píng ping4 "bottle" — drinks 飲料/饮料
期 qī kei4 (issues of) periodicals 雜誌/杂志
群 qún kwan4 "group" (incl. people 人), "herd" — students 學生/学生, birds 鳥/鸟
扇 shàn sin3 doors 門/门, windows 窗戶/窗户.
首 shǒu sau2 songs 歌, poems 詩/诗, music 曲子, etc.
束 shù chuk1 "bundle", for flowers 花, light, etc.
雙 双 shuāng seung1 pair of objects which naturally come in pairs (e.g. chopsticks 筷子, shoes 鞋, etc.)
艘 sōu sau2 ships 船
所 suǒ so2 for buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated, ex. hospitals 醫院/医院. Otherwise can use "座"
臺/台 台 tái toi4 heavy objects, esp. machines (TVs 電視機/电视机, computers 電腦/电脑, etc.); performances (theatre 話劇/话剧, etc.)
堂 táng tong4 periods of classes 課/课 (e.g. "I have two classes today"), suites of furniture
趟 tàng tong3 trips (usually repetitive), scheduled transportation services — flights 班機/班机
套 tào tou3 "set" — books 書/书, magazines, collectibles, clothes 衣裳, etc
題 题 tí tai4 classifier for questions
條 条 tiáo tiu4 long, narrow, flexible objects (fish 魚/鱼, dogs 狗, trousers 褲子/裤子, etc.), also for roads 路 and rivers 河, pertaining to human lives, eg. "兩條人命" two (human) lives, "一條心", lit. "one heart" (to work as one), classifiers for certain things like counter-measures, etc.
頭 头 tóu tau4 "head" — domesticated animals 家畜 (pigs 豬/猪, cows 牛, etc.), hair
團 团 tuán tyun4 "ball" — rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn 毛線/毛线, etc.)
碗 wǎn "bowl" — soup 湯/汤, rice 米飯/米饭, congee 粥
位 wèi wai2 polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names) — workers 工人, director 主任
項 项 xiàng hong6 items, projects — initiative 倡議/倡议, ordinances 法令, statements 聲明/声明
樣 样 yàng yeung6 general items of differing attributes
行 xíng groups of people traveling together, such as a trade commission or diplomats and aides visiting a foreign country: "国王一行人离开巴黎后十分兴奋" (having left Paris, the king and retinue where enthused). Note: almost only used in the form 一行人. — 行 is also read háng, see above)
扎 zhā ja1 In Cantonese usage, this is used in lieu of shù (束), e.g. a bundle of flowers
"jar", "jug" — drinks such as beer, soda, juice, etc. (A recent loan-word from English, it may be considered informal or slang.)
盞 盏 zhǎn jaan2 light fixtures (usually lamps 燈/灯), pot of tea etc.
張 张 zhāng jeung1 "sheet" — flat objects (paper 紙/纸, tables 桌子, etc.), faces 臉/脸, bows, paintings 圖畫/图画, tickets 票, constellations, blankets, bedsheets 床單/床单
陣 阵 zhèn jan6 "gust", "burst" — events with short durations (e.g. lightning storms, gusts of wind 風/风, etc.)
支 zhī ji1 fairly long, stick-like objects (pens 筆/笔, chopsticks, roses, rifles 槍/枪, etc.)
隻 只 zhī jek3 one of a pair (hands 手, legs); animals (birds 鸟, cats 貓/猫, etc.)
枝 zhī ji1 alternative form of 支 ("stalk"): can be used for rifles 槍/枪 and flowers
種 种 zhǒng jung2 types or kinds of objects
組 组 zǔ jou2 sets, rows, series, group of people 人, batteries 電池/电池 (military)
串 chuàn sets of numbers; or something that comes in a string (e.g. 號碼/号码: "a string of numbers"; 珍珠頸鏈/项链: "pearl necklace"; 葡萄: "a bunch of grapes"), objects on a skewer/stick (kebabs, satays)
座 zuò jo6 large structures/buildings 樓/楼, mountains 山

[edit] Verbal Classifiers

Column key: Trad. is Traditional, Simp. shows changes made for the simplified variant (if any).

Trad. Simp. Pinyin Cantonese Main uses
遍 biàn bin3 pin3 the number of times an action has been completed
場 场 chǎng cheung4 a length of an event taking place within another event
次 cì chi3 times (unlike 遍, 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed)
頓 顿 dùn deun6 actions without repetition
回 huí wui4 occurrences (used colloquially)
聲 声 shēng seng1/sing1 cries, shouts, etc.
趟 tàng tong3 trips, visitations, etc.
下 xià ha5/ha6 brief and often sudden actions (much more common in Cantonese than in North dialects).

[edit] Informal Classifiers

In modern colloquial speech of certain Chinese dialects, 俩 (liǎ) is sometimes used instead 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).

[edit] Examples

Colour-coding
measure words are in green and nouns are in purple.
  • 去年我騎了一匹馬。(去年我骑了一匹马。)
Last year, I rode a horse.
  • 這臺電視看了一次就壞了。(这台电视看了一次就坏了。)
This television set broke after one viewing.
  • 我訂了這兩班車。(我订了这两班车。)
I've reserved (tickets for) these two buses.
  • 下完這陣雨我才會爬那座山。(下完这阵雨我才会爬那座山。)
Only after this rain passes will I climb that mountain.
  • 一根頭髮。(一根头发。)
A hair, a strand of hair.
  • 五分(鐘)。(五分(钟)。)
Five minutes(' time).
  • 十天(時間)。(十天(时间)。)
Ten days(' time).
  • 一百頭牛。(一百头牛。)
A hundred oxen, a hundred head of cattle.
  • 一個蘋果。(一个苹果。)
An apple
  • 一斤蘋果。(一斤苹果。)
A pound of apples.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Special characters

This article contains special characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols.
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