List of Chinese counting words

Chinese counting words , also Chinese counting unit words , abbr .: ZEW ( Chinese chines / 量词 , Pinyin liàngcí ) are used in the Chinese languages together with numerals to indicate quantities or to form a plural .

In Chinese, simple numerals can not quantify a noun by themselves . The language needs the numerals for this. A distinction is made between two types, nominal and verbal , the latter being used to quantify verbs and their time. Its use is mandatory in Chinese. The numerals must be used when there is a numeral or a pronoun . However, there is no definite article in Chinese.

While in German “a flock of birds” is roughly synonymous with “some birds”, in Chinese only 一群鳥 / 一群鸟 is possible. Accordingly, “a bird” should be translated as 一隻鳥 / 一只鸟 ; it is like saying “a specimen of a bird”. Use also depends on personal preferences and dialects . For example, some speakers say 三部車 / 三部车 and others say 三台車 / 三台车 to express “three cars”. Other possibilities to denote the same thing are 三輛車 / 三辆车 or in Cantonese 三架車 / 三架车 .

Some counting words are correct units that all languages use to measure things, e.g. B. Kilometers . These come first, followed by other nominal and finally verbal classifiers.

The tables provide an overview of the Chinese counting words and can be read as follows.

Column: ZEW traditional variant
Column: ZEW simplified variant (if there are differences)
Column: Pronunciation in standard Chinese according to Pinyin
Column: Pronunciation in Cantonese after Cantonese Pinyin
Column: information on use. The literal meaning of the count word is given in quotation marks .

Nominal classifiers

Real units

ZEW traditional	ZEW simplifies	Standard Chinese pinyin	Cantonese Jyutping	use
time
秒	-	miǎo	miu ⁵	"Second"
分	-	fēn	fan ¹	"Minute"
刻	-	kè	hook ¹	"Quarter of an hour" / "15 minutes"
小時	小时	xiǎoshí	siu ² si ⁴	"Hour"
鐘	钟	zhōng	young ¹	"Hour" (in Cantonese )
鐘頭	钟头	zhōngtóu	young ¹ dew ⁴	"Hour" (coll.)
時辰 (obs.)	时辰 (obs.)	shíchén	si ⁴ san ⁴	"Double hour" (obs.)
天	-	tiān	tin ¹	"Day"
日	-	rì	yat ⁶	"Day"
年	-	nián	nin ⁴	"Year"
載	载	zǎi	joi ²	"Year" (formal)
世紀	世纪	shìjì	sai ³ gei ²	"Century"
Weight / mass
克	-	kè	hook ¹	"Gram" (technical)
公克	-	gōngkè	supply ¹ hak ¹	"Gram" (metric)
斤	-	jīn	gan ¹	"Jin" / Chinese pound (approx. 600 grams) , "pound", 500 grams
公斤	-	gōngjīn	gung ¹ gan ¹	"Kilogram" (metric)
千克	-	qiānkè	chin ¹ hook ¹	"Kilogram" (technical)
噸	吨	thin	deun ¹	"Ton" (technical)
公噸	公吨	gōngdūn	gung ¹ deun ¹	"Ton" (metric)
Length / distance
毫米	-	háomǐ	hou ⁴ may ⁵	"Millimeter" (technical)
公釐 (obs.)	公厘 (obs.)	gōnglí	gung ¹ lei ⁴	"Millimeter" (metric)
公分	-	gōngfēn	gung ¹ fan ¹	"Centimeter" (metric)
釐米	厘米	límǐ	lei ⁴ may ⁵	"Centimeter" (technical)
寸	-	cùn	chyun ³	" Cun / Chinese customs ", " customs "
吋 (obs.)	-	cùn	chyun ³	"British Customs"
尺	-	chǐ	chek ³	" Chi / Chinese foot " / " foot "
呎 (obs.)	-	chǐ	chek ³	"British foot"
英尺	-	yīngchǐ	ying ¹ chek ³	"British foot"
公尺	-	gōngchǐ	gung ¹ chek ³	"Meter" (metric)
米	-	mǐ	may ⁵	"Meter" (technical)
千米	-	qiānmǐ	chin ¹ may ⁵	"Kilometers" (technical)
里	-	lǐ	lei ⁵	" Li / Chinese mile " (approx. 1/3 mile) , " mile "
哩 (obs.)	-	lǐ	lei ⁵	"British Mile"
英里	-	yīnglǐ	ying ¹ lei ⁵	"British Mile"
公里	-	gōnglǐ	gung ¹ lei ⁵	"Kilometers" (metric)
天文單位	天文单位	tiānwén dānwèi	tin ¹ man ⁴ daan ¹ wai ²	" Astronomical Unit "
光年	-	guāngnián	gwong ¹ nin ⁴	" Light year "
秒差距	-	miǎochājù	miu ⁵ cha ¹ geui ⁶	" Parsec "
money
元 / 圓	元 / 圆	yuan	yun ⁴	"Yuan", abbreviation: " ¥ " (both character forms are equivalent and can be used in Chinese texts)
塊	块	kuài	faai ³	"Kuai", abbreviation: " ¥ " (an English expression in everyday life for yuan)
角	-	jiǎo	gok ³	"Jiao" (1 / 10th of a yuan)
毛	-	máo	mou ⁴	"Mao" (1 / 10th Yuan) (an English expression in everyday life for Jiao)
分	-	fēn	fan ¹	"Fen" (1 / 100th of a yuan)

Idiomatic expressions

ZEW traditional	ZEW simplifies	Standard Chinese pinyin	Cantonese Jyutping	use
把		bǎ	ba ²	"A handful" "a bundle" - stick-like objects, objects that you can hold (knives, umbrellas, keys; also chairs)
班		bān	baan ¹	Scheduled services (trains, flights, buses, etc.), school class
包		bāo	construction ¹	"Package", "Bundle", "Pack"
抱		bào	pou ⁵	"An arm full"
杯		bēi	bui ¹	"Mug", "Cup" - drinks
本		běn	boon ²	"Tape" - bound printed matter (books, etc.)
筆	笔	bǐ	asked ⁷	large amounts of money (payment, business)
部		bù	bo ⁶	Novels, films, machines, devices
冊	册	cè	chak ⁸	Books
層	层	céng	chang ⁴	"Floor", "Floor" - building, "Level", "Layer" etc.
場	场	chǎng	cheung ⁴	public events, games, big events
床		chuáng	chong ⁴	"A bed full" - blankets, towels
次		cì	chi ³	"Mal" - opportunities
袋		dài	doi ²	Sacks, pouches, bags full
道		dào	do ⁶	linear projections (rays of light, etc.), commands of an authority
滴		dī	dik ⁹	Drops of water, blood and similar liquids
點	点	thin	dim ²	Ideas, suggestions
頂	顶	dǐng	dik ⁹	Objects with a protruding tip (hats, etc.)
棟	栋	dòng	manure ⁶	literally columns, used for multi-storey or tall buildings
堵		dǔ	do ¹	Walls and boundaries
段		duàn	duen ⁶	"Section", "Route" - cables, roads, paragraphs, time segments, etc.
對	对	youì	dui ³	"Couple" - people
頓	顿	thin	dun ⁶	Meals, menu, beatings, abuse
朵		youǒ	do ²	Flowers, bloom, clouds
份		fèn	fan ⁶	Share, portions, magazines, photocopies, emotions
封		fēng	fung ¹	Things in envelopes, sealed things, (letters, mail, etc.)
幅		fú	fuk ⁷	Works of art (picture, scroll, painting, photo, etc.), length of fabric
服		fù	fuk ⁹	“Dose” - (Chinese) medicine
副		fù	foo ³	pairs of objects (glasses, gloves, earrings, etc.), “set”, “set”, facial expressions
個	个	gè	go ³	individual things or people - the use of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the speaker does not know the appropriate classifier.
根		gene	gan ¹	thin, slender objects (needles, columns, etc.)
股		gǔ	goo ²	Rivers, "breath", "surge", (air mass, atmosphere, influence, force)
行		hillside	hong ⁴	Objects that form lines, rows (words, numbers, cars, people, etc.)
盒		hé	hap ²	"Small box", "small box", "small box", "small box" - e.g. B. Band
戶	户	hù	woo ⁶	Family, household
夥	伙	huǒ	fo ²	mostly pejorative classifier for groups like gangs or gangsters
家		jiā	ga ¹	Group of people (families, companies, institutions, etc.)
架		jià	ga ³	"A shelf full", "a rack full", machines, devices and objects with supports and racks, etc.
間	间	jiān	gaan ¹	Spaces, spatiality, rooms, etc.
件		jiàn	gin ⁶	Fabrics, clothing, articles, pieces of goods, matter, things, objects, etc.
節	节	jié	jit ⁸	"Section, segment, section, lesson section, time section" - (stick, bamboo, etc.)
屆	届	jiè	gaai ³	regular events, term of office, electoral term, etc.
句		jù	gui ³	Lines, sentences, etc.
棵		kē	po ¹	Trees and similar plants
顆	颗	kē	fo ²	small things (hearts, pearls, teeth, etc.) and small-looking things (distant stars and planets)
口		kǒu	hit ²	People in villages, family members
塊	块	kuài	faai ³	“Piece”, “Brocken” - land, stones, etc .; Cake, bread (not slices)
類	类	lèi	lui ⁶	similar objects
粒		lì	lap ⁷	"Grain"
輛	辆	liàng	leung ²	Cars, bikes, etc.
列		liè	lit ⁹	Trains
枚		méi	mui ⁴	Medals
門	门	men	moon ⁴	academic terms (course, subject, skill, homework, etc.)
面		miàn	min ⁶	flat, smooth things (mirrors, flags, etc.)
名		míng	ming ⁴	general people, persons with titles (doctors, lawyers, politicians, nobles, etc.)
排		pái	paai ⁴	Objects arranged in rows and grids (chairs, tables, etc.)
盤	盘	pán	poon ⁴	flat objects (video cassettes, etc.)
批		pi	pai ¹	"Group", "crowd", "crowd", "shock", "cargo", "batch", people, goods etc.
匹		pǐ	pat ⁷	Horses and other mounts, balls of cloth
篇		piān	pin ¹	"Chapters", written texts, articles, essays, reports, etc.
片		piàn	pin ³	"Slices" - flat objects, cards, slices of bread, etc.
瓶		píng	ping ⁴	"Bottle", "Vase" - bottles for liquids etc.
期		qī	no ⁴	Events that occur in time segments - output for magazines, newspapers, etc.
群		qún	kwan ⁴	"Gathering", "Horde", "Herd", "Crowd" "Flock", "Swarm"
扇		shàn	sin ³	“Leaf”, doors, windows
首		shǒu	sow ²	Songs, poems, music, etc.
束		shù	chuk ⁷	Bundle, bunch, bouquet (flowers) - things that are tied together in a bunch
雙	双	shuāng	seung ¹	paired objects
艘		sou	sow ²	Ships
所		suǒ	so ²	Buildings, institutions, etc.
臺	台	tái	toi ⁴	heavy objects (televisions, computers, statues, etc.) and performances (theaters, etc.)
堂		táng	tong ⁴	Things that happen in sections and sequences (lessons, courses, etc.), sets or sets (furniture sets, etc.)
趟		tàng	tong ³	Trips, driving services, transport services, traffic connections, actions
套		tào	to ³	"Set", "Set", "Set" - books, magazines, collectibles, etc.
題	题	tí	tai ⁴	Classifier for questions, topics, etc.
條	条	tiáo	tiu ⁴	long and narrow objects (fish, pants, rod, etc.) arithmetic sentences (arithmetic problem, bills, etc.), paragraphs of text (clauses, paragraphs, etc.)
頭	头	tóu	dew ⁴	"Head" - certain animals (pigs, cows, etc.), hair
團	团	tuan	do ⁴	"Bausch", "Klumpen", "Käul" - round and ball-like twisted objects (balls of yarn, etc.)
位		wèi	wai ²	polite classifier for people
項	项	xiàng	hong ⁶	Projects
樣	样	yàng	yeung ⁶	general things with different attributes
扎		zhā	jat ⁸	"Krug" - drinks such as beer, soda, juice etc. (a young loan word from the English " jar ", coll. Or regional)
盞	盏	zhǎn	yeah ²	Light sources (mostly lamps), teapots, etc.
張	张	zhāng	jeung ¹	“Sheet” - flat objects (paper, tables, etc.), faces, sheets, paintings, maps, constellations
陣	阵	zhèn	jan ⁶	"Explosion", " Gust " - events of short duration (thunderstorms, gusts of wind)
支		zhī	ji ¹	stick-like objects (brushes, pens, sticks, sticks, chopsticks, etc.)
隻	只	zhī	jek ⁸	one of a couple, animals (birds, cats, etc.)
枝		zhī	ji ¹	Alternative to 支, can be used for rifles and roses.
種	种	zhǒng	young ²	Types of objects
組	组	zǔ	jo ²	Unit, set, group, series, set, set, series
座		zuò	jo ⁶	large structures or mountains

Verbal classifiers

ZEW traditional	ZEW simplifies	Standard Chinese pinyin	Cantonese Jyutping	use
遍		biàn	am ³	how often an action was ended
場	场	chǎng	cheung ⁴	the length of an event that occurs during another act
次		cì	chi ³	Times (unlike 遍 , 次 is regardless of whether the plot has been completed)
頓	顿	thin	deun ⁶	one-time actions without repetition
回		huí	wui ⁴	Incidents (coll.)
聲	声	shēng	sing ¹ , coll .: seng ¹	Screams, shouts, etc.
趟		tàng	tong ³	Trips, visits, etc.
下		xià	ha ⁵	short and sudden actions

Informal classifiers

In the modern colloquial language of certain Chinese dialects, 倆 liǎ is sometimes used instead of 兩個 liǎng ge and becomes a counting word that means “both X” or “two of X”. In most cases, however, it only refers to people. For comparison:

他們倆　今天都沒出門。 , Tāmen liǎ jīntiān dōu méi chūmén.
他們兩個人今天都沒出門。 , Tāmen liǎng ge rén jīntiān dōu méi chūmén.
"The two of them weren't outside at all today."

The same applies to 仨 sā instead of 三個 sān ge , each of which refers to three things.

Examples

In the following examples, numerals are displayed in green and nouns in purple .
Behind it (after the slash) is the same example in simplified characters.

我了一騎去年匹馬 / 去年我了一骑匹马

Last year I rode a horse.

這臺電視看了一次就壞了 / 这台电视看了一次就坏了

This TV was damaged after the first use.

訂這兩了我班車 / 我了订这两班车

I have reserved (tickets) for these two buses.

完這下陣雨我才會爬那座山 / 下完这阵雨我才会爬那座山

Only when this rain is over will I climb the mountain.

一根頭髮 / 一根头发

a hair, a strand of hair.

五分(鐘) / 五分(钟)

five minutes

十天 ( 時間 ) / 十天 ( 时间 )

ten days (time)

一百頭牛 / 一百头牛

a hundred oxen, a hundred head of cattle.

一個蘋果 / 一个苹果

An apple

一斤蘋果 / 一斤苹果

a pound of apples.

一些蘋果 / 一些苹果

some apples.