Lesson 7 - Numbers: Counting

In Chinese, like other Asian languages, quantifiers are extremely important. Like in English, 'two pieces of paper', the word 'pieces' quantifies the paper. However in Chinese, almost every noun needs to be quantified. Let's take a look at how it works.

Here are some common quantifiers. There are lots and lots of quantifiers, so we cannot be listing every one of them.

1. 张 (zhang1) - piece, sheet, (for tables and chairs, faces, and other flat items)
2. 只 (zhi1) - (for animals)
3. 台 (tai2) - (for electronics)
4. 件 (jian4) - (for clothes, tools etc)
5. 棵 (ke1) - (for trees and plants)
6. 双 (shuang1) - pair
7. 间 (jian1) - (for rooms)
8. 种 (zhong3) - type
9. 本 (ben3) - (for books)
10. 面 (mian4) - (for mirrors, walls etc)
11. 粒 (li4) - (for small grains, such as rice or for round items)
12. 片 (pian4) - (for slices, such as bread, leaves)
13. 条 (tiao2) - (for long items, such as roads, rivers, trousers, fishes, and for heart and dogs)
14. 支 (zhi1) - (for sticks of items, such as guns, roses, pen and pencils)
15. 个 (ge4) - Most common one, for almost anything else.

And some examples to show how the quantifiers are used:

1. 一台 收音机 (yi1 tai2 shou1 yin1 ji1) - One radio (A radio).
2. 三本 中文 书 (san1 ben3 zhong1 wen2 shu1) - Three Chinese Books.
3. 四粒 球 (si4 li4 qiu2) - Four balls.

When used to count together with quantifier, 2 is written and pronounced as 两 (liang3).

1. 两个 电脑游戏 (liang3 ge4 dian4 nao3 you2 xi4) - Two computer games.

Here are some new nouns to learn, as well as their quantifier:

1. 桌子 (zhuo1 zi3) - table (Quantifier: 张 (zhang1))
2. 椅子 (yi3 zi3) - chair (Quantifier: 张 (zhang1))
3. 狗 (gou3) - dog (Quantifier: 只 (zhi1) or 条 (tiao2))
4. 猫 (mao1) - cat (Quantifier: 只 (zhi1))
5. 衣服 (yi1 fu2) - clothes, shirt (Quantifier:  件 (jian4))
6. 衬衫 (chen4 shan1) - shirt (Quantifier: 件 (jian4))
7. 裤子 (ku4 zi3) - trousers (Quantifier:  件 (jian4) or 条 (tiao2))
8. 裙子 (qun2 zi3) - skirt (Quantifier:  件 (jian4))
9. 树 (shu4) - tree (Quantifier: 棵 (ke1))
10. 袜子 (wa4 zi3) - socks  (Quantifier: 双 (shuang1))
11. 鞋子 (xie2 zi3) - shoes (Quantifier: 双 (shuang1))
12. 米 (mi3) - uncooked rice, grains (Quantifier: 粒 (li4))
13. 面包 (mian4 bao1) - bread (Quantifier: 片 (pian4))
14. 叶子 (ye4 zi3) - leaf (Quantifier: 片 (pian4))
15. 鱼 (yu2) - fish (Quantifier:  条 (tiao2))
16. 笔 (bi3) - pen (Quantifier: 支 (zhi1))
17. 铅笔 (qian1 bi3) - pencil  (Quantifier: 支 (zhi1))
18. 盘(pan2) - plate (Quantifier: 个 (ge4))
19. 碗(wan3) - bowl (Quantifier: 个 (ge4))
20. 人(ren2) - people (Quantifier: 个 (ge4))

 With this we shall learn some verbs to go with these new nouns as well.

1. 有(you3) - have, exist. (negative: 没有 (mei2you3) - don't have)
2. 穿(chuan1) - wear
3. 买(mai3) - buy 
4. 看见(kan4 jian4) - saw (past tense of see)

The nouns  盘(pan2) and 碗(wan3) can be used as quantifiers as well.
Now try to form new sentences like the following examples! Write them in comments!

1. 我　没有　三双　鞋子。(wo3 mei2 you3 san1 shuang1 xie2 zi3) - I don't have three pairs of shoes.
2. 你　穿　一件　裙子。(ni3 chuan1 yi1 jian4 qun2 zi3) - You are wearing a skirt.
3. 我　在吃　一条　鱼。(wo3 zai4 chi1 yi1 tiao2 yu2) - I am eating a fish.
4. 他　有　五支　铅笔。(ta1 you3 wu3 zhi1 qian1 bi3) - He has five pencils.
5. 她　在吃　一碗　饭。(ta1 zai4 chi1 yi1 wan3 fan1) - She is eating a bowl of rice.