Classifiers — Mandarin Grammar

In English, certain nouns require a "measure word" to be counted, such as "a slice of pizza," "a cup of tea," or "a pair of pants." In Mandarin, this concept applies to almost all nouns. You cannot simply place a number directly before a noun (e.g., "three books"). Instead, you must insert a classifier between the number and the noun.

The basic structure is: Number + Classifier + Noun.

The General Classifier 个 (gè)

The most common classifier is (gèㄍㄜˋko4). It is used for people, abstract concepts, and many physical objects that do not have a specific shape-based classifier. If you are unsure which classifier to use, (gèㄍㄜˋko4) is usually the safest choice to be understood.

一个人
yī gè rénㄧㄍㄜˋ ㄖㄣˊyi1 ko4 jên2
one person
三个学生
sān gè xué·shengㄙㄢㄍㄜˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ·˙ㄕㄥssan1 ko4 shüeh2·shêng
three students
一个苹果
yī gè píng·guǒㄧㄍㄜˋ ㄆㄧㄥˊ·ㄍㄨㄛˇyi1 ko4 p'ing2·ko3
one apple

Classifiers for Specific Objects

Many nouns require specific classifiers based on their shape, size, or category. Using the correct specific classifier makes your speech sound more natural and precise.

Flat Objects: 张 (zhāng)

Used for flat, thin objects like paper, photos, tickets, tables, and beds.

两张票
liǎng zhāng piàoㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄓㄤㄆㄧㄠˋliang3 chang1 p'iao4
two tickets
一张照片
yī zhāng zhào·piànㄧㄓㄤㄓㄠˋ·ㄆㄧㄢˋyi1 chang1 chao4·p'ien4
one photo

Bound Objects: 本 (běn)

Used exclusively for books, magazines, and notebooks.

一本书
yī běn shūㄧㄅㄣˇ ㄕㄨyi1 pên3 shu1
one book
三本杂志
sān běn zá·zhìㄙㄢㄅㄣˇ ㄗㄚˊ·ㄓˋssan1 pên3 tsa2·chih4
three magazines

Long, Thin Objects: 条 (tiáo)

Used for long, flexible things like pants, skirts, roads, rivers, and fish.

一条裤子
yī tiáo kù·ziㄧㄊㄧㄠˊ ㄎㄨˋ·˙ㄗyi1 t'iao2 k'u4·tsŭ
one pair of pants
一条鱼
yī tiáo yúㄧㄊㄧㄠˊ ㄩˊyi1 t'iao2 yü2
one fish

Small Animals: 只 (zhī)

Used for cats, dogs, birds, and other small animals (as well as one of a pair, like one shoe).

一只猫
yī zhī māoㄧㄓㄇㄠyi1 chih1 mao1
one cat
五只鸟
wǔ zhī niǎoㄨˇ ㄓㄋㄧㄠˇwu3 chih1 niao3
five birds

Using Classifiers with "This" and "That"

Classifiers are not only used for counting. They are also required when using demonstratives like "this" (zhèㄓㄜˋchê4) and "that" (nàㄋㄚˋna4), or "which" (nǎㄋㄚˇna3). The structure is: Demonstrative + Classifier + Noun.

这个人
zhè·ge rénㄓㄜˋ·˙ㄍㄜㄖㄣˊchê4·ko jên2
this person
那本书
nà běn shūㄋㄚˋ ㄅㄣˇ ㄕㄨna4 pên3 shu1
that book
哪张桌子？
nǎ zhāng zhuō·zi?ㄋㄚˇ ㄓㄤㄓㄨㄛ·˙ㄗ?na3 chang1 cho1·tsŭ?
which table?

Omitting the Noun

When the context is clear—for example, if you are pointing at an object or if the object has already been mentioned—you can drop the noun and simply use the number or demonstrative with the classifier. This functions like saying "this one" or "three of them" in English.

我要这个。
wǒ yào zhè·ge.ㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄠˋ ㄓㄜˋ·˙ㄍㄜ.wo3 yao4 chê4·ko.
I want this [one].
我有两本。
wǒ yǒu liǎng běn.ㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄅㄣˇ.wo3 yu3 liang3 pên3.
I have two [books].

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

141 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Classifiers” is about in bold:

这是我的朋友,安娜。她是一位学生。
zhè shì wǒ·de péng·you, ān·nà. tā shì yī wèi xué·sheng.ㄓㄜˋ ㄕˋ ㄨㄛˇ·˙ㄉㄜㄆㄥˊ·˙ㄧㄡ, ㄢ·ㄋㄚˋ. ㄊㄚㄕˋ ㄧㄨㄟˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ·˙ㄕㄥ.chê4 shih4 wo3·tê p'êng2·yu, an1·na4. t'a1 shih4 yi1 wei4 shüeh2·shêng.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
我有两辆车,两辆自行车,三辆摩托车。
wǒ yǒu liǎng liàng chē, liǎng liàng zì·xíng·chē, sān liàng mó·tuō·chē.ㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄌㄧㄤˋ ㄔㄜ, ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄌㄧㄤˋ ㄗˋ·ㄒㄧㄥˊ·ㄔㄜ, ㄙㄢㄌㄧㄤˋ ㄇㄛˊ·ㄊㄨㄛ·ㄔㄜ.wo3 yu3 liang3 liang4 ch'ê1, liang3 liang4 tsŭ4·shing2·ch'ê1, ssan1 liang4 mo2·t'o1·ch'ê1.
I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.
Lesson 33
我要买一根香蕉和六个鸡蛋。
wǒ yào mǎi yī gēn xiāng·jiāo hé liù gè jī·dàn.ㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄠˋ ㄇㄞˇ ㄧㄍㄣㄒㄧㄤ·ㄐㄧㄠㄏㄜˊ ㄌㄧㄡˋ ㄍㄜˋ ㄐㄧ·ㄉㄢˋ.wo3 yao4 mai3 yi1 kên1 shiang1·chiao1 ho2 liu4 ko4 chi1·tan4.
I am buying one banana and six eggs.
Lesson 43

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