I recently noticed that the word 挺 (which I know mainly as an intensifier) also is the measure word for 機槍, machine guns. Now machine guns are a fairly recent invention, so I am wondering: Is it known who chose this measure word for them and why?
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bkrs：挺 I v. 1) stick/bulge out 2) endure 你能挺多久？ How long can you endure? 3) slang deal with; handle II b.f. 1) erect; firm (笔挺) 2) distinguished; standing out (英挺) III adv. very; rather; quite IV m. for machine guns (frequency rank) #778– user6065Aug 19, 2018 at 22:59
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@user6065 please, what is bkrs ?– faureAug 23, 2018 at 10:57
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suggestion: search web using "bkrs"– user6065Aug 23, 2018 at 11:43
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1 Answer
挺，表数量，用于条状物。
As a measure word, 挺 refers to something that is long.
In《太平御览》卷八三五，it says 壶中大钱一千，以通九泉之路，蜡烛一挺，以照七尺之尸。
In modern Chinese, 一挺蜡烛 is no longer commonly used.
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2Ah, so I guessed wrong: instead of somebody deciding to use it as a new measure word for machine guns, it is an old measure word that no longer has any other uses. That makes a lot of sense, thank you!– KusmaAug 19, 2018 at 21:51
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1@Kusma I have never thought about this deeply before you asked, thank you too!– zyyAug 20, 2018 at 1:21