Chinese measure word

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In the Chinese language, measure words or classifiers (量词 liàngcí) 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 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.

Table of contents

1 Nominal Classifiers

1.1 True units
1.2 More idiomatic

2 Verbal Classifiers
3 Informal Classifiers
4 Examples
5 See also

Nominal Classifiers

True units

Column key: Simp. is Simplified, Trad. is Traditional.

Simp	Trad	Pinyin	Main uses
Time
秒		miǎo	"second"
分		fēn	"minute"
刻		kè	"quarter","15 minutes" (mainly in some dialects, such as Shanghainese, and translations)
小时	小時	xiǎoshí	"hour"
钟	鐘	zhōng	"hour" (found in southern Chinese)
时辰	時辰	shíchén	"2 hours" (ancient)
天		tiān	"day"
日		rì	"day"
年	年	nián	"year"
载	載	zǎi	"year"
世纪	世紀	shìjì	"century"
Weight/mass
斤		jīn	"catty", "pound"
公斤		gōngjīn	"kilogram"
吨	噸	dūn	"ton"
Length/distance
公分		gōngfēn	"centimetre"
厘米		límǐ	"centimetre" (less common)
寸		cùn	Chinese "inch"
吋		cùn	British inch
尺		chǐ	Chinese "foot"
呎		chǐ	British foot
公尺		gōngchǐ	"metre"
米		mǐ	"metre" (less common)
里		lǐ	"lǐ", about 1/3 mile
哩		lǐ	British mile
公里		gōnglǐ	"kilometre"
光年		guāngnián	"light year"
Money
元	圓	yuán	"yuán", "¥" (main unit of currency) (either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
块	塊	kuài	"yuán", "¥" (a slang term, like "quid" or "buck")
交	角	jiāo	"jiāo", "dime", "tenpence"
毛	毫	máo	"jiāo", "dime", "tenpence" (slang) (either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
分		fēn	"fēn", "cent", "penny"

More idiomatic

Column key: Simp. is Simplified, Trad. is Traditional.

Simp	Trad	Pinyin	Main uses
把		bǎ	"handful" — objects that can be held (knives, keys; also chairs)
班		bān	scheduled services (trains, etc.)
包		bāo	"package", "bundle"
杯		bēi	"cup" — drinks
本		běn	"volume" — bound print matter (books, etc.)
笔	筆	bǐ	large quantities of money
部		bù	novels, movies
册		cè	volumes of books
层	層	céng	"storey", "layer" — buildings, etc
场	場	chǎng	public spectacles
床		chuáng	"bed" — blankets, sheets
次		cì	"time" — opportunities, accidents
袋		dài	sackfuls, pouchfuls, bagfuls, pocketfuls
道		dào	linear projections (light rays, etc.), orders given by an authoritative figure
滴		dī	water, blood, and other such fluids
点	點	diǎn	ideas, suggestions
顶	頂	dǐng	objects with protruding top (hats, etc.)
栋	棟	dòng	lit. pillars, used for buildings
都	堵	dǔ	walls and encompassing fixtures
段		duàn	"adjoining length" — cables, roadways, etc.
对	對	duì	"couple" — people
顿		dùn	meals
朵		duǒ	flowers, clouds
份		fèn	portions
封		fēng	letters, mail
幅		fú	works of art (paintings, etc.)
服		fù	"dose" — (Chinese) medicine
副		fù	objects which come in pairs (gloves, etc.)
个	個	ge (gè)	individual things, people — usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier.
根		gēn	thin, slender objects (needles, pillars, etc.)
行		háng	objects which form lines (words, etc.)
户		hù	households
伙		huǒ	generally derogatory classifier for bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums
家		jiā	gathering of people (families, companies, etc.)
架		jià	aircraft, pianos
间	間	jiān	rooms
件		jiàn	matters, clothing, etc.
节	節	jié	"section" — of bamboo, etc.
届		jiè	regularly scheduled sessions or meetings
句		jù	lines, sentences, etc.
棵		kē	trees and other such flora
颗		kē	small objects (hearts, pearls, teeth, etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars and planets)
口		kǒu	people in villages, family members
块	塊	kuài	"chunk", "lump", "piece" — land, stones, etc.
类	類	lèi	objects of the same type or nature
粒		lì	"grain"
辆	輛	liàng	automobiles, bicycles, etc.
列		liè	trains
枚		méi	medals
门	門	mén	objects pertaining to academics (courses, majors, etc.)
面		miàn	flat and smooth objects (mirrors, flags, etc.)
名		míng	high-ranking persons (doctors, lawyers, politicians, royalty, etc.)
排		pái	objects grouped in rows (chairs, etc)
盘	盤	pán	flat objects (video cassettes, etc.)
批		pī	people, goods, etc.
匹		pǐ	horses and other mounts, rolls/bolts of cloth
篇		piān	papers, articles, etc.
片		piàn	"slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread, etc.
瓶		píng	"bottle" — drinks
期		qī	magazines
群		qún	"group", "herd"
首		shǒu	songs, poems, music, etc.
束		shù	bunches
双	雙	shuāng	objects which come in pairs
艘		sōu	ships
所		suǒ	buildings
台		tái	heavy objects (TVs, computers, etc.) and performances (theatre, etc.)
堂		táng	periods of classes, suites of furniture
趟		tàng	scheduled transportation services
套		tào	"set" — books, magazines, collectibles, etc.
提		tí	packages with a handle — product multi-packs, etc.
条	條	tiáo	long and narrow objects (fish, trousers, etc.)
头	頭	tóu	"head" — certain animals (pigs, cows, etc.), hair
团	團	tuán	"ball" — rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn, etc.)
位		wèi	polite classifier for people
项		xiàng	projects
样	樣	yàng	general items of differing attributes
盏	盞	zhǎn	light fixtures (usually lamps), pot of tea etc.
张	張	zhāng	"sheet" — flat objects (paper, tables, etc.), faces, bows, paintings, tickets, constellations
阵	陣	zhèn	"gust", "burst" — events with short durations (lightning storms, gusts of wind)
支		zhī	stick-like objects (pens, chopsticks, etc.)
只	隻	zhī	one of a pair, animals (birds, cats, etc.)
枝		zhī	alternative form of 支, can be used for rifles and roses.
种	種	zhǒng	types or kinds of objects
组	組	zǔ	sets, rows, series, batteries
座		zuò	large structures or mountains

Verbal Classifiers

Column key: Simp. is Simplified, Trad. is Traditional.

Simp	Trad	Pinyin	Main uses
遍		biàn	the number of times an action has been completed
场	場	chǎng	a length of an event taking place within another event
次		cì	times (unlike 遍 in that 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed)
顿	頓	dùn	actions without repetition
回		huí	occurrences (used colloquially)
声	聲	shēng	cries, shouts, etc.
趟		tàng	trips, visitations, etc.
下		xià	brief and often sudden actions

Informal Classifiers

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).

Examples

;Colour-coding: measure words are in green and nouns are in purple.

去年我骑了一匹马。

Last year, I rode a horse.

这台电视看了一次就坏了。

This television set broke after one viewing.

我订了这两班车。

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

下完这阵雨我才会爬那座山。

Only after this rain passes will I climb that mountain.

一根头发。

A hair, a strand of hair.

五分(钟)。

Five minutes(' time)

十天(时间)。

Ten days(' time)

一百头牛。

A hundred oxen, a hundred head of cattle.

一个苹果。

An apple

一斤苹果。

A pound of apples.

一些苹果。

Some apples, a group of apples.