Different Classifiers

 

For different groups of nouns different classifiers are used. Here are some of the most important ones.

 

个 gè (= a single one): general classifier. If one doesn't know which classifier to use, one takes the general classifier 个 gè.

 

我	们	三	个	人	。
wǒ	men	sān	gè	rén	_
I	pl suffix	three	measure word	person	_
we, us		three		person, human being	。
We are three persons.

Listen:

口 kǒu (= mouth): Classifier for persons when they are counted as members of a family.

 

我	们	家	三	口	人	。
wǒ	men	jiā	sān	kǒu	rén	_
I	pl suffix	home	three	mouth	person	_
we, us		home, family, grammatical measure word for shops	three	mouth, cut in the skin, grammatical: measure word	person, human being	。
In our family there are three people.

Listen:

本 (= book): Classifier for hard- or paper-back objects (books etc.).

 

我	有	三	本	书	。
wǒ	yǒu	sān	běn	shū	_
I	have	three	origin	book	_
I, me, my	have, there is	three	grammatical: measure word, foundation, original, current, this	book	。
I have three books.

Listen:

张 zhāng (= spread): for things with a flat surface (leave, piece of paper, bed).

 

一	张	报	。
yī	zhāng	bào	_
one	spread	report	_
one, same, whole	grammatical measure word for sth flat, spread	report	。
One newspaper.

Listen:

块 kuài (= Yuan, RMB; lit.: piece) is also a general classifier for one piece.

 

两	块	（	钱	）	。
liǎng	kuài	_	qián	_	_
two	piece	_	money	_	_
two, 50gr., 50ml	grammatical measure word: yuan, piece	（	money	）	。
Two yuan.

Listen:

毛 máo (=10 cents RMB; lit.: hair)

 

一	毛	。
yī	máo	_
one	hair	_
one, same, whole	Chinese dime, ten Chinese cents	。
Ten Chinese cents.

Listen:

分 fēn (=1 cent RMB; lit.: divide)

 

一	分	。
yī	fēn	_
one	divide	_
one, same, whole	divide, distribute, distinguish, minute, cent, ten percent, mark	。
One Chinese cent.

Listen:

站 zhàn (= station; lit.: stand): for bus- and train-stations.

 

一	站	（	地	）	。
yī	zhàn	_	dì	_	_
one	stand	_	earth	_	_
one, same, whole	grammatical: measure word, stand, station	（	earth, ground, place, grammatical: particle for adverbs	）	。
One station (further).

Listen:

路 lù (= busline; lit.: road): for buslines.

 

一	路	车	。
yī	lù	chē	_
one	road	car	_
one, same, whole	road, route	vehicle	。
Bus number 1.

Listen:

位 wèi (= respected person; lit.: position): Way of showing respect towards someone.

 

Ten0

份 fèn (= piece, unit; lit.: portion): Single pieces.

 

一	份	儿	中	国	日	报	。
yī	fèn	ér	zhōng	guó	rì	bào	_	_
one	portion	child	middle	country	sun	report	_	_
one, same, whole	grammatical: measure word	child	China		daily newspaper		。
One China daily.

Listen:

两 liǎng (=50gr./50ml; lit.: two): Twenty liang are one kilogramm.

 

一	两	酒	。
yī	liǎng	jiǔ	_
one	two	wine	_
one, same, whole	two, 50gr., 50ml	wine	。
50ml alcohol.

Listen:

些 xiē (= some): an unknown number of something.

 

一	些	书	。
yī	xiē	shū	_
one	some	book	_
a few, a little, some		book	。
Some books.

Listen: Ten4