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Measure word 片


jbradfor

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Chinese measure words are starting to really crack me up. I keep coming across "ordinary" characters that turn out to be measure words as well.

Just now, for example, 片.

"What?", you all cry, "we all know 片 is a measure word. For DVDs, etc."

But yes, look at this clause: "有一片密密麻麻的枣树林".

According to MDBG, 片 is also a measure word for "scenario, scene, feeling, atmosphere, sound etc" -- but only for the number 一.

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A 片 is half a 木 (爿片). When wood splits, it becomes splinters. Splinters are of a certain shape similar to pieces of flat stuff, like land. Not sure where the feelings come from.

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Seems that 片 is only a measure word (or classifier). Does anyone have an example where 片 is a noun?

btw - MDGB has 炸土豆片 for french fries. French fries are long thing strips of potato. French fries are therefore usually 薯条 (curiously MDGB has this one). 土豆片 are what I call crisps and, I believe, Americans call chips; the round thin potato crisps you can buy in a small bag.

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Mike, agree about 炸土豆片, just submitted a correction to MDBG.

Not sure what you mean about "an example where 片 is a noun". If you search MDBG (which I assume you did), there are many nouns ending in 片. Do you mean use of 片 as a word by itself?

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Of course, you are absolutely correct jbradfor, pian4 (片) can be a noun. I don't know why I wasn't thinking like that. I always think of 片 as a measure word for a thin slice of something. For some reason I was even thinking like that when attached to another character - that its purpose was to indicate a slice. I realise that 片 is like a Swiss Army Knife playing the role of measure word, verb and noun. Anyway, thanks for starting this thread; taught me something - mainly try to engage brain before writing :-)

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taught me something - mainly try to engage brain before writing

Absolutely -- just keep reading my posts, and you'll see the importance of engaging brain before writing :-)

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Well you are wrong.

1. Chinese don't say一片DVD, instead they say 一张DVD

2. 片 is not only for the number one. you can say 几片叶子(very common BTW)

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Seems that 片 is only a measure word (or classifier). Does anyone have an example where 片 is a noun?btw - MDGB has 炸土豆片 for french fries. French fries are long thing strips of potato. French fries are therefore usually 薯条 (curiously MDGB has this one). 土豆片 are what I call crisps and, I believe, Americans call chips; the round thin potato crisps you can buy in a small bag.

YES how about“影片”(movie)?

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