Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

choosing the classifier

8.2

8.2.2 classifiers that indicate a property of the noun

Some classifiers indicate a property of the noun. These classifiers are often translated into

English:

Shape of noun 张/張 一张纸/一張紙

zhāng yī zhāng zhǐ

a flat sheet a sheet of paper

The shape of the container

of the noun

杯 一杯茶

bēi yī bēi chá

cup a cup of tea

The weight of the noun 斤 一斤苹果

jīn yī jīn píngguǒ

0.5 kilograms 0.5 kilograms of apples

The value of the noun 毛 一毛钱/一毛錢

máo yī máo qián

dime a dime’s worth of money

Different classifiers may be used to describe a noun in different ways.

Noun Classifier Noun phrase

饭/飯 碗 一碗饭/一碗飯

fàn wǎn yī wǎn fàn

rice bowl one bowl of rice

饭/飯 斤 两斤饭/兩斤飯

fàn jīn liǎng jīn fàn

rice 0.5 kilograms one kilogram of rice

面包/麵包 条/條 一条面包/一條麵包

miànbāo tiáo yī tiáo miànbāo

bread loaf a loaf of bread

面包/麵包 块/塊 一块面包/一塊麵包

miànbāo kuài yī kuài miànbāo

bread slice/piece a slice of bread

水 瓶 一瓶水

shuǐ píng yī píng shuǐ

water bottle a bottle of water

水 杯 一杯水

shuǐ bēi yī bēi shuǐ

water glass a glass of water

水 壶/壺 一壶水/一壺水

shuǐ hú yī hú shuǐ

water pot/vase a pot/vase of water

花 瓶 一瓶花

huā píng yī píng huā

flower bottle a vase of flowers

花 束 一束花

huā shù yī shù huā

flower bouquet a bouquet of flowers