Chinese measure word Totally Explained

Everything about Chinese Measure Word totally explained

In the modern Chinese languages, measure words or classifiers (; 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 can't 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" doesn't 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 "" is possible. Likewise, "a bird" should be translated into "" ; it's as though English speakers were forced to say "a specimen of a bird".
   Usage also depends on personal preference and dialects. For example, some people use ; and others use to mean three cars. Still others use or in Cantonese , 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, for example 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.

Nominal Classifiers

True units

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

Trad.	Pinyin	Cantonese	Main uses
Time
	miǎo	miu5	"second"
	fēn	fan1	"minute"
	kè	hak1 haak1	"quarter","15 minutes" (mainly in some dialects, such as Shanghainese, and translations)
	xiǎoshí	siu2 si4	"hour" (not itself a measure word, must be used with /)
	zhōng	jung1	"hour" (found in southern Chinese, not a measure word, must be used with /)
	shíchén	si4 san4	"2 hours" (ancient, not a measure word, must be used with /)
	tiān	tin1	"day"
	rì	yat6	"day"
	nián	nin4	"year"
	zǎi	joi2 joi3	"year" (ancient)
	shìjì	sai3 gei2	"century" (not a measure word, must used with / to express a number of centuries)
Weight/mass
	kè	hak1 haak1	"gram"
	liǎng		50 grams
	jīn	gan1	"catty", "pound", 1/2 kilograms
	gōngjīn	gung1 gan1	"kilogram"
	qiānkè	chin1 hak1/haak1	"kilogram"
	dūn	deun1	"ton"
Length/distance
	gōngfēn	gung1 fan1	"centimetre"
	límǐ	lei4 mai5	"centimetre" (More common in Mainland China)
	cùn	chyun3	Chinese "inch" (⅓ of a decimetre)
	cùn	chyun3	British inch
	chǐ	che2/chek3	Chinese "foot" (⅓ of a metre)
	chǐ	chek3	British foot
	yīngchǐ	ying1 chek3	British foot
	gōngchǐ	gung1 chek3	"metre"
	mǐ	mai5	"metre"
	lǐ	lei5	"lǐ", (500 metres)
	lǐ	le1/lei5/li1	British mile
	yīnglǐ	ying1 lei5	British mile
	gōnglǐ	gung1 lei5	"kilometre"
	tiānwéndānwèi	tin1 man4 daan1 wai2	"astronomical unit"
	guāngnián	gwong1 nin4	"light year"
	miǎochājù	miu5 cha1 geui6	"parsec"
Money
	yuán	yun4	"yuán", "¥" (main unit of currency) (either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
	kuài	faai3	"yuán", "¥" (a slang term, like "quid" or "buck")
	jiāo	jiāo	"jiāo", "dime", "tenpence" (either form can be used in Simplified Chinese text)
	mǎo	hou4	"mao3", "dime", "tenpence" (slang) (either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
	fēn	fan1/fan6	"fēn", "cent", "penny"

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
		bǎ	ba2	"handful" — objects that can be held, relatively long and flat objects (knives, scissors, swords, keys; also chairs)
		bān	baan1	scheduled services (trains, etc.), group of people, a class as in pupils
		bāo	baau1	"package", "bundle"
		bēi	bui1	"cup" — drinks
		běn	bun2	"volume" — bound print matter (books, etc.)
		bǐ	bat1	large quantities of money
		bù	bou6	novels, movies
/	/	cè	chaak3	volumes of books (is more common in Traditional Chinese, vice versa)
		céng	chaang4	"story", "layer" — buildings, etc
		chǎng	cheung4	public spectacles, games
		chuáng	chong4	"bed" — blankets, sheets
		cì	chi3	"time" — opportunities, accidents
		chū		acts in a play
		dài	doi6	sackfuls, pouchfuls, bagfuls, pocketfuls
		dào	dou6	linear projections (light rays, etc.), orders given by an authority figure, courses (of food)
		dī	dik6	"droplet" water, blood, other such fluids
		diǎn	dim2	ideas, suggestions, can also mean "a bit" (often used to denote amount)
		dǐng	deng2	objects with protruding top (hats, etc.)
		dòng	dung6	lit. pillars, used for buildings
		dǔ	dou6	walls and encompassing fixtures
		duàn	dyun6	"adjoining length" — cables, roadways, etc.
		duì	deui3	"couple" — people, "pair" (for certain things only) earrings, couplets,
		dùn	deun6	meals
		duǒ	do2/deu2	flowers, clouds
		fèn	fan6	portions, also sometimes used for newspapers
		fēng	fung1	letters, mail
		fú	fuk1	works of art (paintings, etc.)
		fù	fuk6	"dose" — (Chinese) medicine
		fù	fu3	objects which come in pairs (gloves, etc.) also for spectacles, a pack of cards, mahjong
		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 doesn't know the proper classifier)
		gēn	gan1	thin, slender objects (needles, pillars, etc.); strands (for example hair)
		gǔ	gu2	flows (of air, smell, influence)....
		guan4		Small to medium cans of soda, of juice, bottles of water, cans of food...
		háng	hong4	objects which form lines (words, etc.)
		hé	hap6	"small box" — for example tape, foods
		hù	wu6	households (is common in handwritten Traditional Chinese)
		huǒ	fo2	generally derogatory classifier for bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums
		jiā	ga1	gathering of people (families, companies, etc.)
		jià	ga3	aircraft, pianos, machines
		jiān	gaan1	rooms
		jiàn	gin6	matters (affairs), clothing, etc.
		jié	jit3	"section" — of bamboo, etc.; or a class period at school
		jiè	gaai3	regularly scheduled sessions or meetings, year-groups in a school (for example Class of 2006)
		jù	geui3	lines, sentences, etc.
		kē	po1	trees and other such flora
		kē	fo2	small objects (hearts, pearls, teeth, diamonds etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars and planets)
		kǒu	hau2	people in villages, family members; wells
		kuài	faai3	"chunk", "lump", "piece" — land, stones, etc.; cake (piece/slic), bread (not slices)
		lèi	leui6	objects of the same type or category
		lì	lap1	"grain", small objects such as a grain of rice
		liàng	leung2	wheeled vehicles: automobiles, bicycles, etc.
		liè	lit6	trains
		méi	mui4	medals, small flat things like stamps or coins, banana peels, bomb shells, also for rings
		mén	mun4	objects pertaining to academics (courses, majors, etc.), also for artillery pieces.
		miàn	min6	flat and smooth objects (mirrors, flags, etc.)
		míng	ming4	high-ranking persons (doctors, lawyers, politicians, royalty, etc.); in formal language, can also be used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking)
		pái	paai4	objects grouped in rows (chairs, etc)
		pán	pun4	flat objects (video cassettes, etc.); literally means "dishes" and can be used for a plate of food
		pī	pai1	(a large amount of) people, goods, etc.
		pǐ	pat1	horses and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth
		piān	pin1	written work: papers, articles, novels etc.
		piàn	pin3	"slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread, etc.
		píng	ping4	"bottle" — drinks
		qī	kei4	(issues of) periodicals
		qún	kwan4	"group" (incl. people), "herd"
		shàn	sin3	doors, windows.
		shǒu	sau2	songs, poems, music, etc.
		shù	chuk1	"bundle", for flowers, light, etc.
		shuāng	seung1	pair of objects which naturally come in pairs (for example chopsticks, shoes, etc.)
		sōu	sau2	ships
		suǒ	so2	for buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated, ex. hospitals. Otherwise can use "座"
/		tái	toi4	heavy objects, esp. machines (TVs, computers, etc.); performances (theatre, etc.)
		táng	tong4	periods of classes (for example "I have two classes today"), suites of furniture
		tàng	tong3	trips (usually repetitive), scheduled transportation services
		tào	tou3	"set" — books, magazines, collectibles, clothes,
		tí	tai4	classifier for questions
		tiáo	tiu4	long, narrow, flexible objects (fish, trousers, etc.)
		tóu	tau4	"head" — domesticated animals (pigs, cows, etc.), hair
		tuán	tyun4	"ball" — rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn, etc.)
		wèi	wai2	polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names)
		xiàng	hong6	projects
		yàng	yeung6	general items of differing attributes
		zhā	ja1	In Cantonese usage, this is used in lieu of shù, for example 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.)
		zhǎn	jaan2	light fixtures (usually lamps), pot of tea etc.
		zhāng	jeung1	"sheet" — flat objects (paper, tables, etc.), faces, bows, paintings, tickets, constellations
		zhèn	jan6	"gust", "burst" — events with short durations (for example lightning storms, gusts of wind, etc.)
		zhī	ji1	fairly long, stick-like objects (pens, chopsticks, roses, rifles, etc.)
		zhī	jek3	one of a pair (hands); animals (birds, cats, etc.)
		zhī	ji1	alternative form of 支 ("stalk"): can be used for rifles and flowers
		zhǒng	jung2	types or kinds of objects
		zǔ	jou2	sets, rows, series, batteries (military)
		chuàn		sets of numbers; or something that comes in a string (for example : "a cell phone/mobile number"; : "a pearl necklace; ：a bunch of grapes)
		zuò	jo6	large structures/buildings, mountains

Verbal Classifiers

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

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

Informal Classifiers

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

Examples

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

() � Last year, I rode a horse.
() � This television set broke after one viewing.
() � I've reserved (tickets for) these two buses.
。(。) � Only after this rain passes will I climb that mountain.
() � A hair, a strand of hair.
()(()) � Five minutes(' time).
()(()) � Ten days(' time).
() � A hundred oxen, a hundred head of cattle.
() � An apple
() � A pound of apples.

Further Information

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