Chinese counter

The follow is a list of the most commonly used Chinese measure words along with usage guidelines along with a brief introduction on the topic.

Table of contents

1 Introduction
2 Nominal Classifiers
3 Verbal Classifiers
4 Informal Classifiers
5 Examples

Introduction

In the Chinese language, 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 details. 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 amplify the quantity of sand, but not necessarily quantify its existence in plurality. 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 (the definite article "the" does not exist in Chinese). In contrast with the English language wherein "a flock of birds" is precisely equivalent to "the birds", a plural of birds in Chinese must be rendered as "一群鸟". Likewise, "a bird" translates to "一只鸟".

Note: A few of the verbal classifiers are nominal classifers with altered meanings. For the sake of consistency, all classifiers have been listed under the first group regardless of their type. In addition, both the reused and the exclusive verbal classifiers have been listed under the second group.

Nominal Classifiers

Simplified Chinese	Mandarin Pinyin	Major usage
把	ba3	objects that can be held (knives, keys)
班	ban1	scheduled services (trains, etc.)
包	bao1	packages, bundles
本	ben3	bound print matter (books, etc.)
笔	bi3	large quantities of money
编	bian4	exclusive to verbal classifiers
部	bu4	novels, movies
册	ce4	volumes of books
层	ceng2	stories (of buildings), layers
场	chang3	public spectacles
床	chuang2	blankets, sheets
次	ci4	opportunities, accidents
道	dao4	linear projections (light rays, etc.), orders given by an authoritative figure
滴	di1	water, blood, and other such fluids
点	dian3	ideas, suggestions
顶	ding3	objects with protruding top (hats, etc.)
栋	dong4	buildings
都	du3	walls and encompassing fixtures
段	duan4	adjoining lengths of cables, roadways, etc.
对	dui4	couples
顿	dun4	meals
朵	duo3	flowers, clouds
份	fen4	portions
封	feng1	letters, mail
幅	fu2	works of art (paintings, etc.)
服	fu4	medical entities (usually used for doses of Chinese medicine)
副	fu4	objects which come in pairs (gloves, etc.)
个	ge0 (neutral or sometimes fourth)	people -- usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know of the proper classifier.
根	gen1	thin, slender objects (needles, pillars, etc.)
行	hang2	objects which form lines (words, etc.)
回	hui2	exclusive to verbal classifiers
户	hu4	households
伙	huo3	generally derogatory classifier for bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums
家	jia1	gathering of people (families, companies, etc.)
架	jia4	airplanes, pianos
间	jian1	rooms
件	jian4	matters, clothing, etc.
节	jie2	sections of items (bamboo, etc.)
届	jie4	regularly scheduled sessions or meetings
句	ju4	lines, sentences, etc.
棵	ke1	trees and other such flora
颗	ke1	small objects (hearts, pearls, teeth, etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars and planets)
口	kou3	people in villages
块	kuai4	objects which may be divided into pieces (land, stones, etc.)
类	lei4	objects of the same type or nature
粒	li4	grains
辆	liang4	automobiles, bicycles, etc.
列	lie4	trains
门	men2	objects pertaining to academics (courses, majors, etc.)
面	mian4	flat and smooth objects (mirrors, flags, etc.)
名	ming2	high-ranking persons (doctors, lawyers, politicians, royalty, etc.)
排	pai2	objects grouped in rows (chairs, etc)
盘	pan2	flat objects (video cassettes, etc.)
批	pi1	people, goods, etc.
匹	pi2	horses and other such equine animals
篇	pian1	papers, articles, etc.
片	pian4	flat objects, slices, etc.
其	qi1	magazines
群	qun2	groups or herds
声	sheng1	exclusive to verbal classifiers
首	shou3	songs, poems, music, etc.
束	shu4	bunches
双	shuang1	objects which come in pairs
艘	sou1	ships
所	suo3	buildings
台	tai2	heavy objects (TV's, computers, etc.) and performances (theater, etc.)
堂	tang2	periods of classes
趟	tang4	scheduled transportation services
套	tao4	sets of objects (books, magazines, collectibles, etc.)
条	tiao4	long and narrow objects (fish, pants, etc.)
头	tou2	certain animals (pigs, cows, etc.)
团	tuan2	rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn, etc.)
位	wei4	polite classifier for people
下	xia4	exclusive to verbal classifiers
项	xiang4	projects
样	yang4	general items of differing attributes
盏	zhang3	light fixtures (usually lamps)
张	zhang1	flat objects (paper, tables, etc.)
阵	zhen4	events with short durations (lightning storms, gusts of wind)
支	zhi1	stick-like objects (pens, chopsticks, etc.)
只	zhi1	one of a pair, animals (birds, cats, etc.)
枝	zhi1	alternate form of 支, can be used for rifles and roses.
种	zhong3	types or kinds of objects
坐	zuo4	large structures or mountains

Verbal Classifiers

遍	bian4	the number of times an action has been completed
场	chang3	a length of an event taking place within another event
次	ci4	times (unlike 遍 in that 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed)
顿	dun4	actions without repeat
回	hui2	occurrences (used in colloquialism)
声	sheng1	cries, shouts, etc.
趟	tang4	trips, visitations, etc.
下	xia4	brief and often sudden actions

Informal Classifiers

In modern colloquialism, 俩 (lia3) is sometimes used in lieu of 两个 (liang3 ge), thereby assuming the identity of a measure word meaning "two of (such and such)". The same holds true for 仨 (sa1), three (items of a general nature).

Examples

去年我骑了一匹马。 Last year, I rode a horse.

这一台电视看完一次就坏了。 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坐山。Only after this rain passes will I climb that mountain.