Classifiers: Introduction

It is a peculiarity of the Chinese language to put a classifier in front of a noun in certain situations. There are about thirty different classifiers. On this page we use the general classifier 个 gè.

Correct is:

一	个	人	。
yī	gè	rén	_
one	measure word	person	_
one, a		person, human being	。
One person.

Listen:

Not perfect is:

一	人	。
yī	rén	_
one	person	_
one, same, whole	person, human being	。
One person.

Listen:

In the following situations, one must add a classifier.

After the following question-words:

哪 nǎ (= which)
几 jǐ (= how many)

After the following pronouns::
那 nà (= that)
这 zhè (= this)

After all numbers.

哪	个	人	？
nǎ	gè	rén	_
what	measure word	person	_
which		person, human being	？
Which person?

Listen:

几	个	人	？
jǐ	gè	rén	_
how many	measure word	person	_
several		person, human being	？
How many people?

Listen:

那	个	人	。
nà	gè	rén	_
that	measure word	person	_
that one		person, human being	。
That person.

Listen:

这	个	人	。
zhè	gè	rén	_
this	measure word	person	_
this, this one		person, human being	。
This person.

Listen:

一	个	人	。
yī	gè	rén	_
one	measure word	person	_
one, a		person, human being	。
One person.

Listen: