In the tables, the first two columns contain the Chinese characters representing the classifier, in Traditional and Simplified characters when they differ. The next four columns give its pronunciations in Standard Mandarin, using Pinyin; Standard Cantonese, using Jyutping and Yale, respectively; and General Taiwanese, using Tai-lo. The last column gives the classifier's literal meaning within quotation marks and its principal uses.

Nominal classifiers Classifiers proper Trad. Simp. Mandarin(Pinyin) Cantonese (Jyutping) Cantonese(Yale) Taiwanese (Tai-lo) Meaning and principal uses bǎ baa2 ba2pé "grip" — objects with handle-like parts (knives , scissors , swords /, keys /, pistols /, chairs , flaming torches or sticks ) běn bun2 bun2pún "volume" — bound print matter (books /, etc.) bung6 bung6 walls (Cantonese only) bù bou6 bou6phō "part" — novels /, movies /, TV dramas etc.; vehicles (：）; Cantonese only: machines / / cè caak3 chaak3tsheh volumes of books ( is more common in Traditional Chinese, in Simplified) céng cang4 chang4tsàn "layer" — cakes, optical discs, etc.; stories of buildings chǎng coeng4 cheung4tiûnn "stage" — public spectacles, games /, drama /, film /, etc. chù cyu3 chyu3tshú "location", "site" — ruins /, construction site , etc. chū ceot1 cheut1tshut "performance", "show" — plays /, circus /, etc. cì ci3 chi3tshù "time" — opportunities /, accidents dào dou6 dou6tō linear projections (light rays , etc.), orders given by an authority figure , courses (of food) /, walls and doors /, questions /, number of times (for certain procedures) dǐng deng2 deng2tíng objects with protruding top (hats , etc.) dòng dung6 dung6tòng "pillar" — buildings dǔ dou6 dou6tóo walls and encompassing fixtures / dùn deon6 deun6tǹg meals / duǒ do2/doe2 do2/deu2luí flowers , clouds / fā faat3 faat3huat projectile weapons, such as bullets /, artillery shells /, rockets, guided missiles etc. fèn fan6 fan6hūn "copy" — newspapers /, notarized document /, contract fēng fung1 fung1hong letters , mail, fax / fú fuk1 fuk1pak "width" — paintings /; curtains; tapestries; photographs or prints (particularly when mounted and displayed on a wall) gǎn gon3 gon3kuáinn objects with "pole" (spears /, balance scales, steelyard balance) ge (gè) go3 go3ê 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) gēn gan1 gan1kun thin, slender, pole, stick objects (needles /, pillars , telegraph poles, matchsticks, etc.); strands /(e.g. hair /) hào hou6 hou6 people, workmen (/); business deals (/) jiā gaa1 ga1 gathering of people (families , companies , etc.), establishments (shops , restaurants , hotels /) jià gaa3 ga3 aircraft /, pianos , machines / jiān gaan1 gaan1king rooms , ; Cantonese only: stores, companies jiàn gin6 gin6kiānn matters (affairs ), clothing , etc. jiè gaai3 gaai3kài recurring, often annual, conferences /, class years in a school (e.g. Class of 2006) / juǎn gyun2 gyun2kńg "roll" — film /, toilet paper / kē fo2 fo2 trees (/) and other such flora kē fo2 fo2 "kernel" — small objects (beans, hearts , pearls , teeth /, diamonds /, etc.) pillows, and objects appearing to be small (distant stars and planets ) kǒu hau2 hau2 people in villages , family members; wells ; blade lèi leoi6 leui6luī objects of the same type or category — affair , circumstance / lì lap1 lap1lia̍p "grain", small objects such as a grain of rice liàng loeng2 leung2 wheeled vehicles: automobiles /, bicycles /, etc. liè lit6/laat3 lit6 "array" — trains / lún leon4 leun4 "round" — competition /, discussions /; moon méi mui4 mui4 small, flat objects (coins, medals, stamps); small, round jewelry (rings , diamonds /);

projectiles (bombs /, grenades /, rockets, satellites); eggs mén mun4 mun4 "gate" — areas of knowledge (courses /, languages /, majors /, etc.), also for artillery pieces /. miàn min6 min6 "surface" — flat objects (mirrors /, flags , etc.) míng ming4 ming4 honorific, or persons with perceived higher social rank (doctors /, lawyers /, politicians, royalty, etc.); in formal occasions or in literary Chinese, also used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking, e.g. mother ) pán pun4 pun4puânn flat objects (video cassettes /, etc.); literally means "dishes" and can be used for a plate of food pào, pāo paau1 paau1 classifiers for liquid extractions (tea , urine ) pǐ pat1 pat1 horses / and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth pet6 pet6 (Cantonese only) small pile of thick, viscous substance — mud, feces, etc. piān pin1 pin1phinn written work: papers /, articles , novels etc. piàn pin3 pin3phìnn "slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread /, etc. po1 po1 (Cantonese only) trees (/) and other such flora qǐ hei2 hei2 case, instance (); batch, group () shàn sin3 sin3 doors /, windows /. shǒu sau2 sau2 songs , poems /, music , etc. shuǐ seoi2 seui2 washings/rinsings () sōu sau2 sau2 ships suǒ so2 so2 for buildings whose purposes are explicitly stated, e.g. hospitals /. Otherwise can use ""/ tái toi4 toi4tâi heavy objects, esp. machines (TVs /, computers /, etc.); performances (theatre /, etc.) táng tong4 tong4 periods of classes / (e.g. "I have two classes today"), suites of furniture tàng tong3 tong3 trips (usually repetitive), scheduled transportation services — flights / tí tai4 tai4tî test/exam questions tǐng ting5, ting2ting5thánmachine guns tiáo tiu4 tiu4tiâu "strip"; long, narrow, flexible objects — (fish /, dogs , trousers /, etc.), also for roads and rivers , pertaining to human lives, e.g. "" two (human) lives, "", lit. "one heart" (to work as one), classifiers for certain things like counter-measures, etc. tóu tau4 tau4 "head" — domesticated animals (pigs /, cows , etc.), hair (only used alongside a modifier) wěi mei5 mei5bué "tail" — fish / (ancient) wèi wai2 wai2uī polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names) — workers , director xiàng hong6 hong6hāng "item" — items, projects — initiative /, ordinances , statements / xiǔ suk1 suk1 nights, overnight stays () yàng joeng6 yeung6 general items of differing attributes zam6 jam6 (Cantonese only) odor zé zak1 jak1 sections of text — notice , jokes /, news /, etc. zhǎn zaan2 jaan2 light fixtures (usually lamps /), pot of tea etc. zhāng zoeng1 jeung1tiunn "sheet" — flat objects (paper /, tables , etc.), faces /, bows, paintings /, tickets , constellations, blankets, bedsheets /; Cantonese only: chairs zhī zek3 jek3 one of a pair (hands , legs); animals (birds /, cats /, etc.) zhī zi1 ji1 fairly long, stick-like objects (pens /, chopsticks, roses, rifles /, etc.), fleets / zhī zi1 ji1ki alternative form of ("stalk"): can be used for rifles / and flowers zhǒng zung2 jung2tsióng types or kinds of objects (animals /) zhū zyu1 jyu1 trees / zhù cyu5 chyu5 incense zūn zyun1 jyun1 statues zuò zo6 jo6tsō large mansion ; mountains ;

Measure words/massifiers Trad. Simp. Mandarin(Pinyin)Cantonese (Jyutping) Cantonese(Yale) Meaning and principal uses bǎ baa2 ba2 "handful" (beans, flour, rice, sand); "bunch"/"bundle" (chopsticks, matches, sticks);

"bunch"/"hand" (bananas, carrots, flowers, scallions) bān baan1 baan1 classifier for scheduled transport services (trains /, bus , subway /, etc.); group of people; class as in pupils / bāng bong1 bong1 group of people (children , friends , etc.);