<p>IMO, 一女子 can mean "<em>there's one woman</em>"， 有一名女子 or 某女子. The measure word can be omitted <strong>only</strong> when the number is <strong>one</strong> 一. We don't usually say 两女子，三女子， and we say 两名女子，三名女子 instead. </p>

<p>More examples: 一小孩 == 一个小孩; 一老人 == 一个老人; 买一玩具 == 买一个玩具; </p>

<p>However, I wouldn't suggest such omissions since the rule might not work very well for all the noun words. We'd better add the measure word and it will work all the time. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-17T13:21:24.983Z
it is seldom omitted when the number is not one, because there are words for that, namely 俩 and 仨, but not for **one** (that I can think of).
zypA13510
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-11T11:33:23.287Z
2018-03-11T11:41:47.560Z
2018-03-11T11:41:47.560Z
dan
<p>Usually we do not omit the classifiers. The sentence in your example, I guess, probably comes from a news title, where brevity matters so there may be omission of the classifiers. But it's also correct to replace it with 一名女子 in your example.</p>

<p>Also, omission can happen in oral Chinese. For example I may say, 饿死我了，我中午就吃了一苹果。(I'm starving, I only ate an apple for lunch.) In this case (oral language), I don't think there's any restriction on which classifiers are allowed to be omitted.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-11T15:27:58.290Z
2018-03-11T15:27:58.290Z
pjhades
<p>I know in Ancient Chinese there often was no classifier. But sometimes I notice the same phenomenon in modern Chinese. Today I heard the sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>一女子跟着自己的包进了安检机</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For which words is such a usage idiomatic? What decides when to omit the classifier?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-11T11:17:05.523Z
what do you mean "no measure word"? Do you mean classifier like 名, 個, 位?  As in "一名女子, 一個女人, 一位女士"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-11T12:37:04.560Z
@TangHo exactly!
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-11T13:48:41.983Z
The sentence sounds like narrated
sfy
<grammar><measure-word>
When can a classifier be omitted? E.g. in 一女子跟着自己的包进了安检机
# When can a classifier be omitted? E.g. in 一女子跟着自己的包进了安检机

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-11)

I know in Ancient Chinese there often was no classifier. But sometimes I notice the same phenomenon in modern Chinese. Today I heard the sentence:

> 一女子跟着自己的包进了安检机

For which words is such a usage idiomatic? What decides when to omit the classifier?

**Tags:** grammar, measure-word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: what do you mean "no measure word"? Do you mean classifier like 名, 個, 位?  As in "一名女子, 一個女人, 一位女士"  
> **username_0**: @TangHo exactly!  
> **username_2**: The sentence sounds like narrated  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-03-11. Score: 2

IMO, 一女子 can mean "*there's one woman*"， 有一名女子 or 某女子. The measure word can be omitted **only** when the number is **one** 一. We don't usually say 两女子，三女子， and we say 两名女子，三名女子 instead.

More examples: 一小孩 == 一个小孩; 一老人 == 一个老人; 买一玩具 == 买一个玩具;

However, I wouldn't suggest such omissions since the rule might not work very well for all the noun words. We'd better add the measure word and it will work all the time.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: it is seldom omitted when the number is not one, because there are words for that, namely 俩 and 仨, but not for **one** (that I can think of).  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-03-11. Score: 1

Usually we do not omit the classifiers. The sentence in your example, I guess, probably comes from a news title, where brevity matters so there may be omission of the classifiers. But it's also correct to replace it with 一名女子 in your example.

Also, omission can happen in oral Chinese. For example I may say, 饿死我了，我中午就吃了一苹果。(I'm starving, I only ate an apple for lunch.) In this case (oral language), I don't think there's any restriction on which classifiers are allowed to be omitted.


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