Proper nouns and common nouns

Notes

• Nouns can generally be preceded by a number-measure word combination.
  • Some nouns this is optional, e.g. 小时
  • Some nouns can't have a measure word e.g. 年
• Repeating single-character nouns to mean "every [noun]"
  • In this case no measure word needed.
  • Reduplicated nouns can only be subject or adverbial adjunct.
• Plural nouns
  • Often no need to mark plural
  • Other elements of sentence can indicate plural, e.g. 都, numbers
  • Personal nouns and some animate nouns can be made plural with 们 (but only when nothing else in the sentence marks plural)
• Nouns involving the suffixes 子, 儿, 头
• Nouns can be subject and object.
  • Some nouns can be predicate without 是, e.g. 今天晴天.

Types of nouns

Could explain these as different rules can apply

• Proper
• Animate
  • Personal
• Inanimate
• Abstract

See also

• Time nouns
• Location nouns

Sources

• 外国人实用汉语语法(中英文对照) (pp. 16 - 26)