List of Chinese classifiers

In the tables, the first and second columns contain the Chinese character representing the classifier, in traditional and simplified versions when they differ. The third column gives the pronunciation in Standard (Mandarin) Chinese, using pinyin, and the fourth gives the Cantonese pronunciation, using Yale romanization. The fifth column explains the classifier's principal uses (the types of noun with which it can be used); quotation marks surround its literal meaning.

Nominal classifiers

Classifiers proper

Trad. Simp. Mandarin
(pinyin)		 Cantonese
(Yale)		 Minnan Meaning and principal uses
把bǎba2 pé "handful" — things with a part like a handle or hilt, relatively long (and flat) objects: e.g. knives 刀, scissors 剪刀, swords 劍/剑, keys 鑰匙/钥匙, pistol 手槍/手枪, etc.; also for chairs 椅子
本běnbun2 pún "volume" — bound print matter (books 書/书, etc.)
埲bung6 walls 墻 (Cantonese only)
部bùbou6 phō novels 小說/小说, movies 電影/电影, TV dramas etc.; vehicles (如：一部大巴）; Cantonese only: machines,
冊/册册/冊cèchaak3 tsheh volumes of books (冊 is more common in Traditional Chinese, 册 in Simplified)
層层céngchang4 tsàn "storey" of building, "layer" (of cakes, DVD-RW, etc.)
場场chǎngcheung4 tiûnn public spectacles, games 比賽/比赛, drama 戲/戏, film 電影/电影, etc.
處处chùchyu3 tshú "location", "site" — ruins 廢墟/废墟, construction site 工地, etc.
齣出chūcheut1 tshut acts in a play, "performance" — plays 戲/戏, circus 馬戲/马戏, etc.
次cìchi3 tshù "time" — opportunities 機會/机会, accidents 事故
道dàodou6 tō linear projections (light rays 亮光, etc.), orders given by an authority figure 命令, courses (of food) 點心/点心, walls and doors 門/门, questions 題/题, number of times (for certain procedures) 工序
頂顶dǐngdeng2 tíng objects with protruding top (hats 帽子, etc.)
棟栋dòngdung6 tòng "pillar" — buildings 房子
堵dǔdou6 tóo walls and encompassing fixtures 牆/墙
頓顿dùndeun6 tǹg meals 飯/饭
朵duǒdo2/deu2 luí flowers 花, clouds 雲/云
發发fāfa1 huat Military projectiles, such as bullets 子彈/子弹, artillery shells 炮彈/炮弹, rockets, guided missiles etc.
份fènfan6 hūn portions, copies — newspapers 報紙/报纸, notarized document 公證/公证, contract 合同
封fēngfung1 hong letters 信, mail, fax 傳真/传真
幅fúfuk1 pak works of art (paintings 畫兒/画儿, etc.)
桿杆gǎngon3 kuáinn objects with "pole" (spears 槍/枪, balance scales, steelyard balance)
個个ge (gè)go3 kò individual things, people — general, catch-all measure word (usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier)
根gēngan1 kun thin, slender, pole, stick objects (needles 針/针, pillars 支柱, telegraph poles, matchsticks, etc.); strands 絲/丝(e.g. hair 頭髮/头发)
號号hàohou6 people, workmen (一百多号人); business deals (几号买卖)[1][2][3][4]
家jiāga1 gathering of people (families 人家, companies 公司, etc.), establishments (shops 商店, restaurants 酒店, hotels 飯店/饭店)
架jiàga3 aircraft 飛機/飞机, pianos 琴, machines 儀器/仪器
間间jiāngaan1 rooms 屋子, 房; Cantonese only: stores, companies
件jiàngin6 matters (affairs 事情), clothing 衣裳, etc.
屆届jiègaai3 recurring, often annual, conferences 會/会, class years in a school (e.g. Class of 2006) 畢業生/毕业生
卷juǎngyun2 "roll" scrolls - film 膠卷/胶卷, toilet paper 手紙/手纸
棵kēfo2 trees (樹/树) and other such flora
顆颗kēfo2 small objects (hearts 心, pearls 珠子, teeth 牙齒/牙齿, diamonds 鑽石/钻石, etc.) and also objects appearing to be small (distant stars 星星 and planets 星球)
口kǒuhau2 people in villages 人, family members; wells 井; blade 刀
類类lèileui6 objects of the same type or category — affair 事情, circumstance 情況/情况
粒lìlap1 "grain", small objects such as a grain of rice 米
輛辆liàngleung2 wheeled vehicles: automobiles 汽車/汽车, bicycles 自行車/自行车, etc.
列lièlit6 "array" — trains 火車/火车
輪轮lúnleun4 round — competition 比賽/比赛, discussions 會談/会谈
枚méimui4 small things like stamps; sphere things that should beware of crash (bombshell 炸彈/炸弹, grenade 手榴彈/手榴弹, eggs 蛋); rings and jewelry that small (e.g. rings 戒指, diamond 鑽石/钻石); flat and round metalwork (e.g. medals, coins)
門门ménmun4 objects pertaining to academics (courses 課/课, majors 專業/专业, etc.), also for artillery pieces 大砲/大炮.
面miànmin6 "surface" — flat and smooth objects (mirrors 鏡子/镜子, flags 旗子, etc.)
名míngming4 honorific, or persons with perceived higher social rank (doctors 醫生/医生, lawyers 律師/律师, politicians, royalty, etc.); in formal occasions or in literary Chinese, also used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking, e.g. mother 母親)
盤盘pánpun4 flat objects (video cassettes 錄影帶/录影带, etc.); literally means "dishes" and can be used for a plate of food
泡pào, pāopaau1 classifiers for liquids which need preparation (tea 茶, urine 尿)
匹pǐpat1 horses 馬/马 and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth 布
坺pet6 (Cantonese only) puddle of shapeless mass — mud, feces, etc.
篇piānpin1 written work: papers 論文/论文, articles 文章, novels etc.
片piànpin3 "slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread 麵包/面包, etc.
樖po1 (Cantonese only) trees (樹/树) and other such flora
起qǐhei2 case, instance (两起大脑炎); batch, group (分两起出发)[5][6][7][8]
扇shànsin3 doors 門/门, windows 窗戶/窗户.
首shǒusau2 songs 歌, poems 詩/诗, music 曲子, etc.
水shuǐseui2 washings/rinsings (这件衬衫洗了三水了)[9][10]
艘sōusau2 ships 船
所suǒso2 for buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated, e.g. hospitals 醫院/医院. Otherwise can use "座"
臺/台台táitoi4 heavy objects, esp. machines (TVs 電視機/电视机, computers 電腦/电脑, etc.); performances (theatre 話劇/话剧, etc.)
堂tángtong4 periods of classes 課/课 (e.g. "I have two classes today"), suites of furniture
趟tàngtong3 trips (usually repetitive), scheduled transportation services — flights 班機/班机
題题títai4 test/exam questions
條条tiáotiu4 long, narrow, flexible objects (fish 魚/鱼, dogs 狗, trousers 褲子/裤子, etc.), also for roads 路 and rivers 河, pertaining to human lives, e.g. "兩條人命" two (human) lives, "一條心", lit. "one heart" (to work as one), classifiers for certain things like counter-measures, etc.
頭头tóutau4 "head" — domesticated animals 家畜 (pigs 豬/猪, cows 牛, etc.), hair (only used alongside a modifier)
尾wěimei5 "tail" — fish 魚/鱼 (ancient)
位wèiwai2 polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names) — workers 工人, director 主任
項项xiànghong6 items, projects — initiative 倡議/倡议, ordinances 法令, statements 聲明/声明
宿xiǔsuk1 nights, overnight stays (住一宿)[11][12][13]
樣样yàngyeung6 general items of differing attributes
𠹻jam6 (Cantonese only) odor 味
則则zéjak1 sections of text — notice 消息, jokes 笑話/笑话, news 新聞/新闻, etc.
盞盏zhǎnjaan2 light fixtures (usually lamps 燈/灯), pot of tea etc.
張张zhāngjeung1 "sheet" — flat objects (paper 紙/纸, tables 桌子, etc.), faces 臉/脸, bows, paintings 圖畫/图画, tickets 票, constellations, blankets, bedsheets 床單/床单; Cantonese only: chairs 凳
隻只zhījek3 one of a pair (hands 手, legs); animals (birds 鳥/鸟, cats 貓/猫, etc.)
支zhīji1 fairly long, stick-like objects (pens 筆/笔, chopsticks, roses, rifles 槍/枪, etc.), fleets 舰队/艦隊
枝zhīji1 alternative form of 支 ("stalk"): can be used for rifles 槍/枪 and flowers
種种zhǒngjung2 types or kinds of objects (animals 動物/动物)
株zhūjyu1 trees 樹/树
柱zhùchyu5 incense 香
尊zūnjyun1 statues 像
座zuòjo6 large mansion 公寓; mountains 山;

Measure words/massifiers

Trad. Simp. Mandarin
(pinyin)		 Cantonese
(Yale)		 Meaning and principal uses
把bǎba2 sets of objects that usually not bundled and could be hold in hand (e.g. matchsticks 火柴)
班bānbaan1 classifier for scheduled transport services (trains 火車/火车, bus 公交, subway 地鐵/地铁, etc.); group of people; class as in pupils 學生/学生
幫帮bāngbong1 group of (lively, naughty, or whatever) people (children 孩子, friends 朋友, etc.); "gang", band of (bandits 匪徒, bad men 壞蛋/坏蛋, etc.)
包bāobaau1 objects (cookies 餅乾/饼干, cigarettes 香煙/香烟, French fries 薯條/薯条, screw, etc.) in "packet" or pouch
杯bēibui1 liquids (water 水, juice 果汁, etc.) in "cup", glass, or beaker (sodium chloride solution 氯化鈉溶液/氯化钠溶液, etc.)
輩辈bèibui3 "generation", "lifetime" (people 人)
筆笔bǐbat1 large quantities of money (money 錢/钱, funds 資金/资金, account items 賬目/账目)
串chuànchyun3 set of numbers; or something that comes in a "string" (e.g. 號碼/号码: "a string of numbers"; 珍珠頸鏈/项链: "pearl necklace"; 葡萄: "a bunch of grapes"), objects on a skewer/stick (kebabs, satays, etc.)
床chuángchong4 "bed" — blankets 毯子, sheets, quilt
沓dádaap6 a "stack" of (e.g. paper, or any other paper-like things)
袋dàidoi6 "bag" — sackfuls, pouchfuls, bagfuls, pocketfuls (flour 麵粉/面粉, French fries 薯條/薯条, cements 水泥, etc.)
啖dàndaam6 (Cantonese only) "mouthful" — amount of food
啲/尐di1 (Cantonese only) "some", "a bit" — general massifier. Only used in the form 一啲, or without a number (e.g. after demonstratives).
滴dīdik6 "droplet" (water 水, blood 鮮血/鲜血, other such fluids)
點点diǎndim2 ideas 意見/意见, suggestions; can also mean "a bit" (often used to denote amount) — e.g. courage 膽量/胆量
段duàndyun6 "adjoining length" — cables 電線/电线, roadways 路, part as in a drama 臺詞/台词, etc.
堆duīdeui3 "pile", "mass" — trash 垃圾, sand 沙子, etc.
對对duìdeui3 for certain objects in "pair": "couple" 夫妻, "pair" 搭檔/搭档, ring 戒指, earrings 耳環/耳环, bracelet 手鐲/手镯; Cantonese only: pair of objects which naturally come in pairs (e.g. chopsticks 筷子, shoes 鞋, etc.)
服fúfuk6 "dose" (medicine 藥/药)
副fùfu3 objects which come in pairs (gloves 手套, insole, couplets, etc.) also for spectacles/glasses 眼鏡/眼镜, mahjong 麻將/麻将, Chinese chess 象棋; pack of cards 牌
股gǔgu2 flows (of air 氣/气, smell 香味, influence 潮流, etc.)
嚿gau6 (Cantonese only) "piece of", "chunk of" — rock, soap, ginger, charcoal, rice, etc.
管guǎngun2 "tube" — toothpaste and things that comes in tubes
罐guàngun3 for canned beverages (e.g. soda), milk powder, sardine, etc.; also for air tank, nitrogen tank, etc.
行hánghong4 "row" — objects which form lines (words 詞/词, etc.); occupations in a field (idiom, spoken language); 行 could also be pronounced as xíng, see below.
盒héhap6 objects in a small "box" or case (e.g. mooncakes, tapes)
戶/户户hùwu6 households (户 is common in handwritten Traditional Chinese) — household 人家
壺壶húwu4 liquids (usually drink) in a "pot" (tea, or sometimes rice wine) or kettle (usually water)
伙huǒfo2 bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums (when heard it as classifier from news it is mostly derogatory); group of people (non-derogatory in some dialect)
劑剂jìjai1 "dose" (medicine 藥/药)
節节jiéjit3 "section" of bamboo 竹子, sugarcane, etc.; branch of tree; a class period at school 課/课; columnar batteries, carriages of train (look like a section of bamboo)
句jùgeui3 "sentences" 句子, quotes 引言, lines 臺詞/台词, etc.
口kǒuhau2 "mouthful" — amount of food
塊块kuàifaai3 "chunk", "lump", "piece" — land 地, stones 石頭/石头, cake 蛋糕 (piece/slice), bread (not slices) 麵包/面包, candy 糖, tofu 豆腐, etc.; yuan (widely used in spoken language)
捆kǔn sets of bundled objects, usually pole-, rope- or stick-like stuffs (e.g. matchsticks 火柴, straw, wire, etc.)
倆俩liǎ sometimes used informally instead of 两个 (liǎng ge), to mean "two" (especially two things or people that are close to one another)
摞luò (luǒ)lo3, lo6 set of objects either be "stacked" (a stack of, e.g. books 書/书) or be piled (a pile of, e.g. brisks 磚/砖)
縷缕lǚleui5 (strand/slither of) hair, smoke 煙/烟, wind 風/风
排páipaai4 "row" — objects grouped in rows (seat 座位, lanterns 燈籠/灯笼, aspen, etc.)
批pīpai1 used when a large number of people (e.g. pupils) coming (e.g. entrance) or leaving (e.g graduate) during the same period; also used for large amount of commodity, mass-produced objects (products 產品/产品, laptops, etc.) or supplies.
瓶píngping4 objects in "bottle", vial, or flask. usually not too large so that people could takes by hands (e.g. lemonade, water, troche, , etc.)
期qīkei4 (issues of) periodicals 期刊, magazine 雜誌/杂志
群qúnkwan4 "group" (people, students 學生/学生, etc.), "herd" (e.g. birds 鳥/鸟, horse 馬/马, etc.)
仨sā sometimes used informally instead of 三个 to mean "three", "three of"
束shùchuk1 "bundle" of flowers 花; light 光, laser.
雙双shuāngseung1 pair of objects which naturally come in pairs (e.g. chopsticks 筷子, shoes 鞋, etc.)
套tàotou3 "set", "serial" or collective things — books 書/书, teaware 茶具, collectibles, clothes 衣裳, etc.
聽(听)听tīngting1 for canned beverages (e.g. soda, cola)
"tin" ("听" is common and informal in handwriting Traditional Chinese) — A recent loanword that have involved in Mandarin from Cantonese
團团tuántyun4 "ball" — rotund and wound objects (balls of yarn 毛線/毛线, cotton, etc.)
坨tuóto4 "lump" — mud 泥, feces 糞便/粪便
碗wǎnwun2 for food in "bowl" (e.g. soup 湯/汤, rice 米飯/米饭, congee 粥, wonton 餛飩/馄饨)
些xiēse1 "some" — general massifier. Only used in the form 一些, or without a number (e.g. after demonstratives).
行xínghang4 groups of people traveling together, such as a trade commission or diplomats and aides visiting a foreign country: "国王一行人离开巴黎后十分兴奋" (having left Paris, the king and retinue were enthused). Note: almost only used in the form 一行人. — 行 is also read háng, see above.
匝zāzaap3 number of revolutions, times to go around
扎zhāja1 In Cantonese usage, this is used in lieu of shù (束), e.g. a bundle of flowers
"jar", "jug" — beverages such as beer, soda, juice, etc. (A recent loan-word from English, it may be considered informal or slang.)
陣阵zhènjan6 "gust", "burst" — events with short durations (e.g. lightning storms, gusts of wind 風/风, etc.)
注zhù a "pour" of water, tea (liquid); a "bet" — lottery 彩票
組组zǔjou2 "sets" — general mass-classifier for "sets" of objects (sets of, e.g. batteries 電池/电池, planets 行星, variables 變量/变量, data 数据/數據, objects 對象/对象, words 詞/词, or any sensible thing you want to name). A set is usually assumed to have two or more objects.
But there are also exceptions: depends on what object the classifier is used for, the quantity of objects in sets may be assumed without context. When assumed, the classifier usually fallback to play a similar role to either 雙/双, 副 or 對/对: for example, when used for certain objects that come in pair, e.g. 搭檔/搭档, represented as 一組搭檔/一组搭档 (一對搭档/一对搭档 is valid), here the quantity of objects is always assumed to be two (i.e. one pair) in each set; Note that when used for other naturally-in-pair things, like chopsticks 筷子, represented as *一組筷子/一组筷子, here the quantity of objects is unspecified if no context specific it, as people never use 組/组 for chopsticks as a natural-in-pair object classifier (That is, except for certain objects like 搭檔/搭档, the classifier 組/组 won't fallback to 雙/双, 副 et al. when used for objects in pair.)

Measurement units

Trad. Simp. Mandarin
(pinyin)		 Cantonese
(Yale)		 Meaning
Time
秒miǎomiu5 "second"
分fēnfan1 "minute"
刻kèhak1 haak1 "quarter","15 minutes" (mainly in certain dialects, such as Shanghainese, and translations)
天tiāntin1 "day"
日rìyat6 "day"
年niánnin4 "year"
載载zǎijoi2 joi3 "year" (ancient)
Weight/mass
克kèhak1 haak1 "gram"
兩两liǎngleung2 50 grams(1/10 jīn), used to be 1/16 jīn
加崙/加侖加仑jiālùngaa1 leun2 gallon
斤jīngan1 "catty", "pound", 1/2 kilograms
公斤gōngjīngung1 gan1 "metric jīn", kilogram
千克qiānkèchin1 hak1/haak1 "kilogram"
噸吨dūndeun1 "ton"
Length/distance
公分gōngfēngung1 fan1 "metric fēn",centimetre
厘米límǐlei4 mai5 "centimetre" (More common in Mainland China and Hong Kong)
寸cùnchyun3 Chinese "inch" (⅓ of a decimetre)
吋cùnchyun3 British inch
尺chǐche2/chek3 Chinese "foot" (⅓ of a metre)
呎chǐchek3 British foot
英尺yīngchǐying1 chek3 British foot
公尺gōngchǐgung1 chek3 "metric chǐ", metre
米mǐmai5 "metre"
里lǐlei5 "lǐ", (500 metres)
哩lǐle1/lei5/li1 British mile/Statute mile (5280 British feet)
英里yīnglǐying1 lei5 British mile/Statute mile
海里HǎilǐHai5 lei5 "Nautical mile" (1852 meters, about 6076 British feet)
公里gōnglǐgung1 lei5 "kilometre" (1000 metres)
天文單位天文单位tiānwéndānwèitin1 man4 daan1 wai2 "astronomical unit"
光年guāngniángwong1 nin4 "light year"
秒差距miǎochājùmiu5 cha1 geui6 "parsec"
Money
圓/元圆/元yuányun4 "yuán", "¥" (main unit of currency)
(either form can be used in Traditional Chinese text)
塊块kuàifaai3 "block", yuán (a slang term, like "quid" or "buck")
蚊wénman1 "dollar", yuán (Cantonese slang)
角jiǎogok3 "jiǎo", "dime", "tenpence"
毛máomou4 "máo", "dime", "tenpence" (slang)
毫háohou4 "dime", "tenpence" (Cantonese slang)
分fēnfan1/fan6 "fēn", "cent", "penny"

Verbal classifiers

See Chinese classifier → Verbal classifiers.

Trad. Simp. Mandarin
(pinyin)		 Cantonese
(Yale)		 Meaning and uses
遍biànbin3 pin3 the number of times an action has been completed, emphasizing the action's length and effort. eg. 改了三遍，把课文读一遍
場场chǎngcheung4 a length of an event taking place within another event. eg. 哭一场，演一场，（一场戏，一场表演）
次cìchi3 times (unlike 遍, 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed). eg. 每次，上一次，下一次，试了五次，（三次机会，第一次用，第二次出国）
頓顿dùndeun6 actions without repetition. eg. 打一顿，骂一顿，（一顿打，一顿骂）
回huíwui4 occurrences (used colloquially). eg. 潇洒一回，来一回，走一回（过场）
聲声shēngseng1/sing1 cries, shouts, etc. eg. 砰的一声，哗一声，滴滴两声，（一声响，一声呼唤）
趟tàngtong3 trips, visitations, etc. eg. 走一趟，去一趟，（一趟下来）
下xiàha5/ha6 brief and often sudden actions (much more common in Cantonese than in northern dialects). eg. 咔嚓一下，噌的一下，跳两下，按五下. also used as weakened injunctive mood. eg. 来一下，帮我一下.

References

  1. ↑ Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, p. 1144, ISBN 9787560007397
  2. ↑ John S. Barlow (1995), A Chinese-Russian-English Dictionary, University of Hawai‘i Press, p. 392, ISBN 0-8248-1729-X
  3. ↑ Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 612, ISBN 9787100043458
  4. ↑ http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=号
  5. ↑ Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, pp. 775–776, ISBN 9787560007397
  6. ↑ John S. Barlow (1995), A Chinese-Russian-English Dictionary, University of Hawai‘i Press, p. 505, ISBN 0-8248-1729-X
  7. ↑ Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 1207, ISBN 9787100043458
  8. ↑ http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=起
  9. ↑ John S. Barlow (1995), A Chinese-Russian-English Dictionary, University of Hawai‘i Press, p. 480, ISBN 0-8248-1729-X
  10. ↑ http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=水
  11. ↑ Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, p. 1144, ISBN 9787560007397
  12. ↑ Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 1744, ISBN 9787100043458
  13. ↑ http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=宿
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