 It is not the case that every noun is only associated with one classifier . Across dialects and speakers there is great variability in the way classifiers are used for the same words , and speakers often do not agree which classifier is best . For example , for cars some people use 部 bù , others use <unk> <unk> , and still others use <unk> ( <unk> ) <unk> ; Cantonese uses <unk> <unk> . Even within a single dialect or a single speaker , the same noun may take different measure words depending on the style in which the person is speaking , or on different nuances the person wants to convey ( for instance , measure words can reflect the speaker 's judgment of or opinion about the object ) . An example of this is the word for person , 人 rén , which uses the measure word 个 ( 個 ) gè normally , but uses the measure <unk> <unk> when counting number of people in a household , and <unk> <unk> when being particularly polite or honorific , and <unk> míng in formal , written contexts ; likewise , a group of people may be referred to by <unk> as 一群人 ( yì qún rén , " a group of people " ) or <unk> ( yì <unk> rén , " a gang / crowd of people " ) : the first is neutral , whereas the second implies that the people are unruly or otherwise being judged poorly . 
