# Classifier for 墙



## *サンティ*Santi*

Hello everyone!

Well, I was doing my Chinese homework and in one exercise I have to describe what is behind the bookshelf. The problem is that I don't know which classifier use for "wall". I have written this sentence: 

这个书架后边有一个墙壁。

Is it right? Thanks in advance!


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## Ghabi

Hello. We say "一堵墙".


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## YangMuye

“一堵墙”、“一面墻”, I say.


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## saitoaoda

both 一堵 and 一面 will do.
Just don't say "一個*墙*". We may know what you mean but I am sure no one say in this way.


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## gvergara

On a website, I read that the classifier for *墙 *depends whether the wall has a ceiling or not. It's hard for me to imagine walls without them (except in the case of very dilapidated houses). What are your thoughts on this

G.


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## Hyperpolyglot

I think 一幅墙 is very appropriate.


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## Skatinginbc

一道墙 is the one that first came to my mind.


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## Hyperpolyglot

Skatinginbc said:


> 一道墙 is the one that first came to my mind.


Possibly because you know of a song called 心牆 by 郭靜你的心有*一道牆*但我發現一扇窗偶爾透出一絲暖暖的微光就算你有一道牆我的愛會攀上窗台盛放打開窗你會看到悲傷...


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## Skatinginbc

Although I've never heard of 一幅墙 before, I love it at first sight.  It evokes a wall beautiful like a painting and soft like cloth.


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## BODYholic

gvergara said:


> On a website, I read that the classifier for *墙*depends whether the wall has a ceiling or not. It's hard for me to imagine walls without them (except in the case of very dilapidated houses). What are your thoughts on this
> 
> G.



That's because you restricted the definition of wall. Most of the 围墙/城墙, for example, have no ceiling.

http://img.stonebuy.com/sample/images/mark/20107118055482831076.JPG


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## stellari

As mentioned by other contributors, 道 , 堵 and 面 are all common measure words for 墙. Although for me, there might be a slight difference between them. 道 might be more appropriate for walls that have a large horizontal span and are served as an obstacle; 面 is a more generalized measure word and may emphasizes that the wall is large both in horizontal and vertical directions; 堵 on the other hand, are usually for small walls. So for example, for the outer walls of a castle, 道 is the most appropriate one. In the context of your sample sentence, I believe both 面 and 堵 are good. 

Another thing to notice is that people tend to prefer 一面/堵墙 rather than 一面/堵墙壁, even in formal writing.


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## strad

Does anyone else use 埲 as a classifier for 墙?  Or is that just a Cantonese usage?


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## Testing1234567

strad said:


> Does anyone else use 埲 as a classifier for 墙?  Or is that just a Cantonese usage?


You are correct, it is just a Cantonese usage.



gvergara said:


> On a website, I read that the classifier for *墙*depends whether the wall has a ceiling or not. It's hard for me to imagine walls without them (except in the case of very dilapidated houses). What are your thoughts on this
> 
> G.


The Berlin Wall!


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## SuperXW

Testing1234567 said:


> The Berlin Wall!


Yap! Besides, Chinese often use "wall" (without ceiling) in a metaphorical sense. In English, you usually use "barriers". For example, 两种文化之间有一道墙 "There's a barrier between the two cultures."


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## Youngfun

Well, the Pink Floyd's song "The Wall" is also metaphorical.


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