/s
This is from hellochinese, the mandarin learning app.
this post was submitted on 18 May 2026
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Does it have different words for the number of objects in a group like Japanese does, or just different types of groups of objects?
Numbers stay the same, but the words for "collection/group" change depending on the object. It goes [number] [measure word] [noun]
I'm not familiar with Japanese so I can't say.
If I remember correctly, the "group" names in Japanese are based on shape but aren't always intuitive, and sometimes a certain number of them will have its own special name or way of counting - the sort of thing that requires a lot of rote memorization.
Generally no. One minor example I can think of is 两 and 二 which both mean two and it can be difficult remembering when to use one or the other. But to my knowledge it's based on the way the number is being used not the item being counted.
I like to think of 兩 being "a couple (of)" and 二 being "two" like a numeral. Like 我有兩個電話 "I have (two) a couple phones" or 我在這裡住兩年 "ive lived here for (two) a couple years".
二 is like maths, numbereng something like 2nd is 第二 or floor 2 is 二樓
One of the fun things about learning Japanese is that on rare occasions I can read a little Chinese. I'd pronounce the words wrong, since it's different spoken, but the English translation would be correct and the meaning would be understood, like numerals.
Oh yes same. I can get context from japanese but dont know how to pronounce things (anymore).