| Trad.
|
Simp.
|
Mandarin
(Pinyin)
|
Cantonese (Jyutping)
|
Cantonese
(Yale)
|
Minnan
|
Meaning and principal uses
|
| 把 |
bǎ
|
baa2 |
ba2
|
pé
|
“grip” — objects with handle-like parts (knives 刀, scissors 剪刀, swords 劍/剑, keys 鑰匙/钥匙, pistols 手槍/手枪, chairs 椅子, flaming torches or sticks 火)
|
| 本 |
běn
|
bun2 |
bun2
|
pún
|
“volume” — bound print matter (books 書/书, etc.)
|
| 埲 |
|
bung6 |
bung6
|
|
walls 墻 (Cantonese only)
|
| 部 |
bù
|
bou6 |
bou6
|
phō
|
“part” — 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 |
cè
|
caak3 |
chaak3
|
tsheh
|
volumes of books (冊 is more common in Traditional Chinese, 册 in Simplified)
|
| 層 |
层 |
céng
|
cang4 |
chang4
|
tsàn
|
“layer” — cakes, optical discs, etc.; stories of buildings
|
| 場 |
场 |
chǎng
|
coeng4 |
cheung4
|
tiûnn
|
“stage” — public spectacles, games 比賽/比赛, drama 戲/戏, film 電影/电影, etc.
|
| 處 |
处 |
chù
|
cyu3 |
chyu3
|
tshú
|
“location”, “site” — ruins 廢墟/废墟, construction site 工地, etc.
|
| 齣 |
出 |
chū
|
ceot1 |
cheut1
|
tshut
|
“performance”, “show” — plays 戲/戏, circus 馬戲/马戏, etc.
|
| 次 |
cì
|
ci3 |
chi3
|
tshù
|
“time” — opportunities 機會/机会, accidents 事故
|
| 道 |
dào
|
dou6 |
dou6
|
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 |
dǐng
|
deng2 |
deng2
|
tíng
|
objects with protruding top (hats 帽子, etc.)
|
| 棟 |
栋 |
dòng
|
dung6 |
dung6
|
tòng
|
“pillar” — buildings 房子
|
| 堵 |
dǔ
|
dou6 |
dou6
|
tóo
|
walls and encompassing fixtures 牆/墙
|
| 頓 |
顿 |
dùn
|
doen6 |
deun6
|
tǹg
|
meals 飯/饭
|
| 朵 |
duǒ
|
do2/doe2 |
do2/deu2
|
luí
|
flowers 花, clouds 雲/云
|
| 發 |
发 |
fā
|
faat3 |
faat3
|
huat
|
projectile weapons, such as bullets 子彈/子弹, artillery shells 炮彈/炮弹, rockets, guided missiles etc.
|
| 份 |
fèn
|
fan6 |
fan6
|
hūn
|
“copy” — newspapers 報紙/报纸, notarized document 公證/公证, contract 合同
|
| 封 |
fēng
|
fung1 |
fung1
|
hong
|
letters 信, mail, fax 傳真/传真
|
| 幅 |
fú
|
fuk1 |
fuk1
|
pak
|
“width” — paintings 畫兒/画儿; curtains; tapestries; photographs or prints (particularly when mounted and displayed on a wall)
|
| 桿 |
杆 |
gǎn
|
gon3 |
gon3
|
kuáinn
|
objects with “pole” (spears 槍/枪, balance scales, steelyard balance)
|
| 個 |
个 |
ge (gè)
|
go3 |
go3
|
ê
|
individual things, people — generic measure word (usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier)
|
| 根 |
gēn
|
gan1 |
gan1
|
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 |
hào
|
hou6 |
hou6
|
|
people, workmen (一百多号人/一百多號人); business deals (几号买卖/幾號買賣)[1][2][3][4] |
| 家 |
jiā
|
gaa1 |
ga1
|
|
gathering of people (families 人家, companies 公司, etc.), establishments (shops 商店, restaurants 酒店, hotels 飯店/饭店)
|
| 架 |
jià
|
gaa3 |
ga3
|
|
aircraft 飛機/飞机, pianos 琴, machines 儀器/仪器
|
| 間 |
间 |
jiān
|
gaan1 |
gaan1
|
king
|
rooms 屋子, 房; Cantonese only: stores, companies
|
| 件 |
jiàn
|
gin6 |
gin6
|
kiānn
|
matters (affairs 事情), clothing 衣裳, etc.
|
| 屆 |
届 |
jiè
|
gaai3 |
gaai3
|
kài
|
recurring, often annual, conferences 會/会, class years in a school (e.g. Class of 2006) 畢業生/毕业生
|
| 卷 |
juǎn
|
gyun2 |
gyun2
|
kńg
|
“roll” — film 膠卷/胶卷, toilet paper 手紙/手纸
|
| 棵 |
kē
|
fo2 |
fo2
|
|
trees (樹/树) and other such flora
|
| 顆 |
颗 |
kē
|
fo2 |
fo2
|
|
“kernel” — small objects (beans, hearts 心, pearls 珠子, teeth 牙齒/牙齿, diamonds 鑽石/钻石, etc.) pillows, and objects appearing to be small (distant stars 星星 and planets 星球)
|
| 口 |
kǒu
|
hau2 |
hau2
|
|
people in villages 人, family members; wells 井; blade 刀
|
| 類 |
类 |
lèi
|
leoi6 |
leui6
|
luī
|
objects of the same type or category — affair 事情, circumstance 情況/情况
|
| 粒 |
lì
|
lap1 |
lap1
|
lia̍p
|
“grain”, small objects such as a grain of rice 米
|
| 輛 |
辆 |
liàng
|
loeng2 |
leung2
|
|
wheeled vehicles: automobiles 汽車/汽车, bicycles 自行車/自行车, etc.
|
| 列 |
liè
|
lit6 |
lit6
|
|
“array” — trains 火車/火车
|
| 輪 |
轮 |
lún
|
leon4 |
leun4
|
|
“round” — competition 比賽/比赛, discussions 會談/会谈; moon 明月
|
| 枚 |
méi
|
mui4 |
mui4
|
|
small, flat objects (coins, medals, stamps);
small, round jewelry (rings 戒指, diamonds 鑽石/钻石);
projectiles (bombs 炸彈/炸弹, grenades 手榴彈/手榴弹, rockets, satellites); eggs 蛋
|
| 門 |
门 |
mén
|
mun4 |
mun4
|
|
“gate” — areas of knowledge (courses 課/课, languages 語言/语言, majors 專業/专业, etc.), also for artillery pieces 大砲/大炮.
|
| 面 |
miàn
|
min6 |
min6
|
|
“surface” — flat objects (mirrors 鏡子/镜子, flags 旗子, etc.)
|
| 名 |
míng
|
ming4 |
ming4
|
|
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 |
pán
|
pun4 |
pun4
|
puânn
|
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, pāo
|
paau1 |
paau1
|
|
classifiers for liquid extractions (tea 茶, urine 尿)
|
| 匹 |
pǐ
|
pat1 |
pat1
|
|
horses 馬/马 and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth 布
|
| 坺 |
|
|
pet6 |
pet6
|
|
(Cantonese only) small pile of thick, viscous substance — mud, feces, etc.
|
| 篇 |
piān
|
pin1 |
pin1
|
phinn
|
written work: papers 論文/论文, articles 文章, novels etc.
|
| 片 |
piàn
|
pin3 |
pin3
|
phìnn
|
“slice” — flat objects, cards, slices of bread 麵包/面包, etc.
|
| 樖 |
|
po1 |
po1
|
|
(Cantonese only) trees (樹/树) and other such flora
|
| 起 |
qǐ
|
hei2 |
hei2
|
|
case, instance (两起大脑炎); batch, group (分两起出发)[5][6][7][8] |
| 扇 |
shàn
|
sin3 |
sin3
|
|
doors 門/门, windows 窗戶/窗户.
|
| 首 |
shǒu
|
sau2 |
sau2
|
|
songs 歌, poems 詩/诗, music 曲子, etc.
|
| 水 |
shuǐ
|
seoi2 |
seui2
|
|
washings/rinsings (这件衬衫洗了三水了)[9][10] |
| 艘 |
sōu
|
sau2 |
sau2
|
|
ships 船
|
| 所 |
suǒ
|
so2 |
so2
|
|
for buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated, e.g. hospitals 醫院/医院. Otherwise can use “座”
|
| 臺/台 |
台 |
tái
|
toi4 |
toi4
|
tâi
|
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 |
táng
|
tong4 |
tong4
|
|
periods of classes 課/课 (e.g. “I have two classes today”), suites of furniture
|
| 趟 |
tàng
|
tong3 |
tong3
|
|
trips (usually repetitive), scheduled transportation services — flights 班機/班机
|
| 題 |
题 |
tí
|
tai4 |
tai4
|
tî
|
test/exam questions
|
| 挺 |
tǐng
|
ting5, ting2
|
ting5
|
thán
|
machine guns 機槍
|
| 條 |
条 |
tiáo
|
tiu4 |
tiu4
|
tiâu
|
“strip”; 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 |
tóu
|
tau4 |
tau4
|
|
“head” — domesticated animals 家畜 (pigs 豬/猪, cows 牛, etc.), hair (only used alongside a modifier)
|
| 尾 |
wěi
|
mei5 |
mei5
|
bué
|
“tail” — fish 魚/鱼 (ancient)
|
| 位 |
wèi
|
wai2 |
wai2
|
uī
|
polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names) — workers 工人, director 主任
|
| 項 |
项 |
xiàng
|
hong6 |
hong6
|
hāng
|
“item” — items, projects — initiative 倡議/倡议, ordinances 法令, statements 聲明/声明
|
| 宿 |
xiǔ
|
suk1 |
suk1
|
|
nights, overnight stays (住一宿)[11][12][13] |
| 樣 |
样 |
yàng
|
joeng6 |
yeung6
|
|
general items of differing attributes
|
| 𠹻 |
|
|
zam6 |
jam6
|
|
(Cantonese only) odor 味
|
| 則 |
则 |
zé
|
zak1 |
jak1
|
|
sections of text — notice 消息, jokes 笑話/笑话, news 新聞/新闻, etc.
|
| 盞 |
盏 |
zhǎn
|
zaan2 |
jaan2
|
|
light fixtures (usually lamps 燈/灯), pot of tea etc.
|
| 張 |
张 |
zhāng
|
zoeng1 |
jeung1
|
tiunn
|
“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 |
zhī
|
zek3 |
jek3
|
|
one of a pair (hands 手, legs); animals (birds 鳥/鸟, cats 貓/猫, etc.)
|
| 支 |
zhī
|
zi1 |
ji1
|
|
fairly long, stick-like objects (pens 筆/笔, chopsticks, roses, rifles 槍/枪, etc.), fleets 舰队/艦隊
|
| 枝 |
zhī
|
zi1 |
ji1
|
ki
|
alternative form of 支 (“stalk”): can be used for rifles 槍/枪 and flowers
|
| 種 |
种 |
zhǒng
|
zung2 |
jung2
|
tsióng
|
types or kinds of objects (animals 動物/动物)
|
| 株 |
zhū
|
zyu1 |
jyu1
|
|
trees 樹/树
|
| 柱 |
zhù
|
cyu5 |
chyu5
|
|
incense 香
|
| 尊 |
zūn
|
zyun1 |
jyun1
|
|
statues 像
|
| 座 |
zuò
|
zo6 |
jo6
|
tsō
|
large mansion 大厦; mountains 山;
|
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