"www.mdbg.net" mentions classifiers for almost all Chinese nouns. But there have been some cases where it doesn't suggest any classifiers. Examples are: 电阻器:resistor 电容器:capacitor 计算器:calculator
I thought to myself, maybe because all these words end in 器. So the classifier for 器 which is 台, would be the appropriate classifier for all the three mentioned words. Is it correct to deduce the classifier of a compound noun from the last character of that word?
I would use 個, 枚, or even 條 for 電阻 and 電容 and leave out the somewhat redundant character 器. I think 台 and 個 are both OK for 計算器.
Not correct.
For example, for ROM (只读存储器）and CPU（中央处理器）台 is inappropriate. It depends on size and shape.
台 is for big, usually heavy things, cars, tv, surgery.
For things you can hold in your palm, you can use 个.
For things that you don't know which classifier should be used, use 个.
So if your 电阻器 is very big, like the height is 2 meters, you can use 座， 台 is also OK，if it is 2 centimeters, use 个。
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Let's say cell phones, the most used word is 个，but you can also use 部 or 台。 Using 部 or 台 makes the phone sounds expensive，important or high quality。
