盏, 宗, 则: counters — lamps, cases, news items

These counters are specialists: 一盏 a lamp, a light or a cup; 一宗 a whole case, in court or business (you will also meet 一桩案件); 一则 one news item or announcement; 一幢 a building, like the familiar 栋; 一堂 a lesson. The mistake is reaching for 个 for all of them: careful speech doesn't say 一个新闻.

Examples

• 书桌上亮着一盏小台灯，陪伴我写到深夜。 Shūzhuō shàng liàngzhe yì zhǎn xiǎo táidēng, péibàn wǒ xiě dào shēnyè. A small desk lamp glows on the desk, keeping me company as I write late into the night.
• 这宗案件牵涉多家公司，审理过程可能持续数年。 Zhè zōng ànjiàn qiānshè duō jiā gōngsī, shěnlǐ guòchéng kěnéng chíxù shù nián. The case involves several companies; the proceedings could drag on for years.
• 报纸上刊登了一则关于环境保护的新闻报道。 Bàozhǐ shang kāndēng le yì zé guānyú huánjìng bǎohù de xīnwén bàodào. A news report about environmental protection appeared in the paper.

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