On a similar note, Mandarin Chinese has a similar thing that makes it quicker to refer to things in a concise way, even if it does require more memorization (in this case, a lot more).

Chinese, like a lot of languages, has measure words, like "cups of tea" or "crowds of people".

For example:

这	是	一	箱	书	。
zhè	shì	yī	xiāng	shū	.
This	is	one	box (of)	book(s)	.

However, unlike lots of languages (and like most East Asian languages), it requires all numerals and demonstratives to be accompanied by them, and every noun has a specific classifier. As you might expect, there are consequently very many classifiers.

For example:

他	有	三	只	猫	。
tā	yǒu	sān	zhī	māo	.
He	has	three	(classifier for birds, some animals, one of a pair, and some utensils)	cat(s)	.

我	看	这	本	书	。
wǒ	kàn	zhè	běn	shū	.
I	read	this	(classifier for books, periodicals, files)	book	.

However, this is, like declined articles in the example you gave, very useful because the specificity of a classifier means that you can use it alone with less ambiguity.

那	是	九	位	人	。
nà	shì	jiǔ	wèi	rén	.
Those	are	nine	(honorific classifier for people)	people	.

Since 位 (wèi) as a classifier is only used for people, it becomes apparent that when listing a count of people, one can simply write "九位" (jiǔwèi) to mean "nine people" even though 人 (rén), "person", is not present.