clf: classifier
The clf relation is used in noun phrases where a cardinal numeral (1,4), an ordinal numeral (2), or a determiner (3) modifying the head noun is accompanied by a classifier. The classifier is attached to the numeral if a numeral is present, or else to the determiner. Note that ordinal numerals are tagged ADJ and labeled amod in relation to the noun; they are the only words tagged ADJ that can be accompanied by a classifier.
# visual-style 1 2 clf color:blue
# visual-style 1 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 1 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
1 一 _ NUM _ _ 3 nummod _ one
2 團 _ NOUN _ _ 1 clf _ CL:sphere
3 火 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ fire
1 "a _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 ball _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 of _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 fire" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
# visual-style 1 2 clf color:blue
# visual-style 1 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 1 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
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1 第一 _ ADJ _ _ 3 amod _ one
2 隻 _ NOUN _ _ 1 clf _ CL
3 雀仔 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ bird
1 "the _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 first _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 bird" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
# visual-style 1 2 clf color:blue
# visual-style 1 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 1 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
1 呢 _ DET _ _ 3 det _ this
2 本 _ NOUN _ _ 1 clf _ CL:book
3 書 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ book
1 "this _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 book" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
# visual-style 2 3 clf color:blue
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
# visual-style 3 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 3 fgColor:white
1 呢 _ DET _ _ 4 det _ this
2 一 _ NUM _ _ 4 nummod _ one
3 場 _ NOUN _ _ 2 clf _ CL:spectator-event
4 友誼賽 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ goodwill-competition
1 "this _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 goodwill _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 competition" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
Non-clf functions of Mandarin classifiers
In other constructions involving classifiers, they are annotated with other syntax relations. First, in Cantonese a classifier may also be considered to function as a determiner when a noun phrase starts with a bare classifier, as in (5, 6).
1 切 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ cut
2 個 _ NOUN _ _ 3 det _ CL:generic
3 梨 _ NOUN _ _ 1 obj _ pear
1 "cut _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 a _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 pear" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
1 隻 _ NOUN _ _ 2 det _ CL
2 貓 _ NOUN _ _ 3 nsubj _ cat
3 跌 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ fall
4 低 _ VERB _ _ 3 compound:dir _ lower
5 咗 _ AUX _ _ 3 aux _ PERF
1 "the _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 cat _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 fell _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 down" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
Second, if a noun phrase does not have a regular noun, then the classifier is promoted to head of the noun phrase and any numeral or determiner would depend on the classifier, such as in (7) and (8).
1 畀 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ give
2 三 _ NUM _ _ 3 nummod _ three
3 分鐘 _ NOUN _ _ 1 obj _ minutes
4 我 _ PRON _ _ 1 iobj _ 1SG
1 "Give _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 me _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 three _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 minutes." _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
1 邊 _ DET _ _ 2 det _ which
2 位 _ NOUN _ _ 3 nsubj _ CL:person
3 搵 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ look-for
4 馬 _ PROPN _ _ 5 compound _ Ma
5 生 _ NOUN _ _ 3 obj _ Mr.
6 呀 _ PART _ _ 3 discourse:sp _ SP
1 "Who _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 (which _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 person) _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 is _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
5 looking _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
6 for _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
7 Mr. _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
8 Ma?" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
If there is a genitive 嘅 ge3 between the classifier and the noun, then the classifier is also treated as a head noun for the numeral, and it is labeled as an nmod dependent of the noun.
1 呢 _ DET _ _ 3 det _ these
2 幾 _ DET _ _ 3 nummod _ several
3 日 _ NOUN _ _ 5 nmod _ CL:days
4 嘅 _ PART _ _ 3 case _ GEN
5 行程 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ itinerary
1 "these _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 few _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 day's _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 itinerary" _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
Note that classifiers are tagged as NOUN. The feature NounType=Clf is recommended for distinguishing classifiers from regular nouns.
clf in other languages: [id] [swl] [th] [u] [yue] [zh]