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Mandarin Chinese Classifiers: Grammar, Types, Variation, and History

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Chinese classifiers are words that commonly appear between a numeral or demonstrative and a noun. This lesson introduces the basic pattern and explains when a classifier is usually needed.

For example, a phrase meaning “three books” uses a numeral, an appropriate classifier, and then the noun for “book.” The classifier is not an optional decoration: it is normally part of the grammatical structure.

All flashcards

Count-classifier
A classifier that identifies or counts an individual item of a count noun.
Mass-classifier
A classifier that makes a quantity countable by specifying a unit, container, group, or portion.
Verbal classifier
A classifier that counts action occurrences or indicates the instrument used for an action.
Classifier neutralization
The replacement of a more specific classifier with the general classifier 个 gè.
Grammaticalization
The historical process by which a word develops a grammatical function, such as becoming a classifier.

Quiz questions

  1. In a Chinese phrase containing a demonstrative, numeral, classifier, adjective, and noun, what is their usual order?Answer: Demonstrative, numeral, classifier, adjective, noun
  2. Which classifier is commonly used with flat objects such as sheets of paper?Answer: 张 zhāng
  3. What does a prototype account emphasize when explaining classifier-noun pairings?Answer: Resemblance to familiar central examples
  4. What meaning can a reduplicated classifier express?Answer: A distributive meaning similar to “every”
  5. Which classifier can convey a polite or honorific tone when counting people?Answer: 位 wèi

Based on the Wikipedia article Chinese classifier, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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