Embed Notice

• Classifiers: In the place of articles (a/an/the), Sinitic languages use classifiers, which largely depend on the noun described. Mandarin requires a determiner and/or a number in front of the classifier. The concept of "the" doesn't exist in Mandarin.

一本書: a book
這本書: this book
那本書: that book

Cantonese speakers can omit both the number and the determiner to express "the", or add a pronoun in front to mark possession.

本書: the book
我本書: my book (10/13)