1、Java 正则表达式中的Quantifiers（量词）使用来指定匹配字符出现的次数的，java api中有三种Quantifiers: greedy, reluctant, and possessive。虽然三种quantifiers的作用很相似（见下表），但是三者还是有区别的。（摘自
java.sun.com）
| Quantifiers | Meaning |
|
Greedy |
Reluctant |
Possessive |
X? |
X?? |
X?+ |
X, once or not at all |
X* |
X*? |
X*+ |
X, zero or more times |
X+ |
X+? |
X++ |
X, one or more times |
X{n} |
X{n}? |
X{n}+ |
X, exactly n times |
X{n,} |
X{n,}? |
X{n,}+ |
X, at least n times |
X{n,m} |
X{n,m}? |
X{n,m}+ |
X, at least n but not
more than m times |
2、几个例子（摘自
java.sun.com）
greedy quantifiers
Enter your regex: a?
Enter input string to search:
I found the text "" starting at index 0 and ending at index 0.
Enter your regex: a*
Enter input string to search:
I found the text "" starting at index 0 and ending at index 0.
Enter your regex: a+
Enter input string to search:
No match found.Zero-Length Matches (1)
Enter your regex: a?
Enter input string to search: a
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "" starting at index 1 and ending at index 1.
Enter your regex: a*
Enter input string to search: a
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "" starting at index 1 and ending at index 1.
Enter your regex: a+
Enter input string to search: a
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1. Zero-Length Matches (2)
Enter your regex: a?
Enter input string to search: aaaaa
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "a" starting at index 1 and ending at index 2.
I found the text "a" starting at index 2 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "a" starting at index 3 and ending at index 4.
I found the text "a" starting at index 4 and ending at index 5.
I found the text "" starting at index 5 and ending at index 5.
Enter your regex: a*
Enter input string to search: aaaaa
I found the text "aaaaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 5.
I found the text "" starting at index 5 and ending at index 5.
Enter your regex: a+
Enter input string to search: aaaaa
I found the text "aaaaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 5. Zero-Length Matches (3)
Enter your regex: a?
Enter input string to search: ababaaaab
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "" starting at index 1 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "a" starting at index 2 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "" starting at index 3 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "a" starting at index 4 and ending at index 5.
I found the text "a" starting at index 5 and ending at index 6.
I found the text "a" starting at index 6 and ending at index 7.
I found the text "a" starting at index 7 and ending at index 8.
I found the text "" starting at index 8 and ending at index 8.
I found the text "" starting at index 9 and ending at index 9.
Enter your regex: a*
Enter input string to search: ababaaaab
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "" starting at index 1 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "a" starting at index 2 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "" starting at index 3 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "aaaa" starting at index 4 and ending at index 8.
I found the text "" starting at index 8 and ending at index 8.
I found the text "" starting at index 9 and ending at index 9.
Enter your regex: a+
Enter input string to search: ababaaaab
I found the text "a" starting at index 0 and ending at index 1.
I found the text "a" starting at index 2 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "aaaa" starting at index 4 and ending at index 8. exactly n number of times
Enter your regex: a{3}
Enter input string to search: aa
No match found.
Enter your regex: a{3}
Enter input string to search: aaa
I found the text "aaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 3.
Enter your regex: a{3}
Enter input string to search: aaaa
I found the text "aaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 3. at least n times
Enter your regex: a{3,}
Enter input string to search: aaaaaaaaa
I found the text "aaaaaaaaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 9. an upper limit
Enter your regex: a{3,6} // find at least 3 (but no more than 6) a's in a row
Enter input string to search: aaaaaaaaa
I found the text "aaaaaa" starting at index 0 and ending at index 6.
I found the text "aaa" starting at index 6 and ending at index 9. Capturing Groups with Quantifiers
Enter your regex: (dog){3}
Enter input string to search: dogdogdogdogdogdog
I found the text "dogdogdog" starting at index 0 and ending at index 9.
I found the text "dogdogdog" starting at index 9 and ending at index 18.
Enter your regex: dog{3}
Enter input string to search: dogdogdogdogdogdog
No match found. Character Class with Quantifiers
Enter your regex: [abc]{3}
Enter input string to search: abccabaaaccbbbc
I found the text "abc" starting at index 0 and ending at index 3.
I found the text "cab" starting at index 3 and ending at index 6.
I found the text "aaa" starting at index 6 and ending at index 9.
I found the text "ccb" starting at index 9 and ending at index 12.
I found the text "bbc" starting at index 12 and ending at index 15.
Enter your regex: abc{3}
Enter input string to search: abccabaaaccbbbc
No match found.