Noun Classifiers

Cantonese uses classifiers (measure words / 量詞) between numbers or demonstratives and nouns, just like Mandarin. If you understand Mandarin classifiers, the Cantonese system works the same way structurally: number + classifier + noun.

The most common classifier is 個 go3, equivalent to Mandarin 個 gè. It's the default classifier in both languages, but Cantonese speakers use it even more liberally than Mandarin speakers. When in doubt, 個 usually works: 一個人 jat1 go3 jan4 (one person), 呢個地方 ni1 go3 dei6 fong1 (this place).

Many classifiers are shared with Mandarin but with different pronunciation: 本 bun2 (books, same as Mandarin 本 běn), 隻 zek3 (animals/one of a pair, same as Mandarin 隻 zhī), 條 tiu4 (long/thin things, same as Mandarin 條 tiáo), 張 zoeng1 (flat things, same as Mandarin 張 zhāng).

Cantonese has classifiers not found in Mandarin. The most important is 啲 di1, which marks 'some' or pluralizes nouns: 啲人 di1 jan4 (some people / the people), 呢啲嘢 ni1 di1 je5 (these things). 啲 has no direct Mandarin equivalent — Mandarin uses 些 xiē or 一些 yīxiē, but 啲 is far more common and versatile in Cantonese.

Another Cantonese-specific classifier is 嚿 gau6, used for chunks or lumps of things: 一嚿肉 jat1 gau6 juk6 (a chunk of meat), 一嚿蛋糕 jat1 gau6 daan6 gou1 (a piece of cake). Mandarin would use 塊 kuài in these cases.

An important Cantonese feature: classifiers can be used directly with nouns WITHOUT a number or demonstrative, acting like a definite article (the). For example: 個人好高 go3 jan4 hou2 gou1 means 'THE person is tall'. Mandarin doesn't commonly do this.