clf: classifier
The clf relation is used in noun phrases where a cardinal numeral (1,3), an ordinal numeral (2), or a determiner (4) 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
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
1 第一 _ ADJ _ _ 3 amod _ one
2 位 _ NOUN _ _ 1 clf _ CL:person
3 老師 _ NOUN _ _ 0 root _ teacher
1 "the _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 first _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 teacher" _ _ _ _ 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 這 _ 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 這 _ 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 Mandarin a classifier may also be considered to function as an indefinite determiner when a noun phrase consisting of a bare classifier accompanying a noun is in post-verbal position, as in (4).
1 切 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ cut
2 個 _ NOUN _ _ 3 det _ CL:generic
3 梨子 _ NOUN _ _ 1 obj _ pear
1 "cut _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 a _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 pear" _ _ _ _ 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 (5) and (6).
1 給 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ give
2 我 _ PRON _ _ 1 iobj _ 1SG
3 三 _ NUM _ _ 4 nummod _ three
4 分鐘 _ NOUN _ _ 1 obj _ minutes
1 "Give _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 me _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 three _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 minutes." _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
1 哪 _ DET _ _ 2 det _ which
2 位 _ NOUN _ _ 3 nsubj _ CL:person
3 找 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ look-for
4 馬 _ PROPN _ _ 5 compound _ Ma
5 先生 _ NOUN _ _ 3 obj _ Mr.
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 的 de 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 我 _ PRON _ _ 2 nsubj _ 1SG
2 買 _ VERB _ _ 0 root _ buy
3 了 _ AUX _ _ 2 aux _ PERF
4 一 _ NUM _ _ 5 nummod _ one
5 磅 _ NOUN _ _ 7 nmod _ CL:pound
6 的 _ PART _ _ 5 case _ GEN
7 肉 _ NOUN _ _ 2 obj _ meat
1 "I _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
2 bought _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
3 a _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
4 pound _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
5 of _ _ _ _ 0 _ _ _
6 meat." _ _ _ _ 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]