Classifiers/measure words (Mandarin - English) Flashcards
本
běn
“volume”
Proper classifier
-used for bound print matter (books 書/书, etc.)
次
cì
“time”
Proper classifier
- used for opportunities 機會/机会
- used for accidents 事故
Verbal classifier
- . used for times
* 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed
道
dào
Proper classifier
- used for linear projections (light rays 亮光, etc.)
- used for orders given by an authority figure 命令
- used for courses (of food) 點心/点心
- used for walls and doors 門/门
- used for questions 題/题
- used for number of times (for certain procedures) 工序
个
ge (gè)
Proper classifier
- used for individual things
- used for people
*generic measure word (usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier)
号
hào
Proper classifier
- used for more than 100 people, workmen (一百多号人/一百多號人)
- used for business deals, transaction numbers (几号买卖/幾號買賣)
家
jiā
Proper classifier
- used for gathering of people (families 人家, companies 公司, etc.)
- used for establishments (shops 商店, restaurants 酒店, hotels 飯店/饭店)
间
jiān
Proper classifier
- used for rooms 屋子, 房
口
kǒu
Proper classifier
- used for people in villages 人, family members
- used for wells 井
- used for blade 刀
Measure word/massifier
- “mouthful”
- used for amount of food
辆
liàng
Proper classifier
- used for wheeled vehicles: automobiles 汽車/汽车, bicycles 自行車/自行车, etc.
名
míng
Proper classifier
- used as an honorific, or persons with perceived higher social rank (doctors 醫生/医生, lawyers 律師/律师, politicians, royalty, etc.)
- used in formal occasions
- used in literary Chinese
- used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking, e.g. mother 母親)
片
piàn
“slice”
Proper classifier
- used for flat objects
- used for cards
- used for slices of bread 麵包/面包
- etc.
起
qǐ
Proper classifier
- used for case, instance (两起大脑炎)
- used for batch, group (分两起出发)
水
shuǐ
Proper classifier
- used for washings/rinsings (这件衬衫洗了三水了)
题
tí
Proper classification
- used for test/exam questions
样
yàng
“kind, sort”
Proper classifier
- used for general items of differing attributes
只
zhī
Proper classifier
- used for one of a pair (hands 手, legs)
- used for animals (birds 鳥/鸟, cats 貓/猫, etc.)
支
zhī
Proper classifier
- used for fairly long, stick-like objects (pens 筆/笔, chopsticks, roses, rifles 槍/枪, etc.), fleets 舰队/艦隊
班
bān
Measure word/massifier
- used for scheduled transport services (trains 火車/火车, bus 公交, subway 地鐵/地铁, etc.)
- used for a group of people
- used for a class as in pupils 學生/学生