Part B Measure Words

Understanding Measure Words in Cantonese

• Significance of Measure Words

  • Essential for counting and classifying specific objects.

  • A measure word must be inserted between a number and a noun in Cantonese.

  • Each noun in Cantonese requires a measure word, similar to English in certain contexts.

• Comparison with English

  • Example in English: "a cup of tea," "a piece of cake," "a box of milk."

    • Here, "cup," "piece," and "box" are functioning as measure words.

  • In English, for mass nouns, measure words are often omitted (e.g., "three books," "four tables").

  • In Cantonese, a measure word is necessary (e.g., "三本書" for "three books").

• Learning Measure Words

  • When learning a new noun, it's crucial to learn its corresponding measure word.

  • Examples:

    • For counting two items, use the measure word

      • E.g., "兩杯茶" for "two cups of tea" (not "兩茶").

    • Different measure words are used for different objects (e.g.,

      • "兩個包" for "two buns").

Common Measure Words in Cantonese

• Dim Sum Specific Measure Words

  • "杯": used for items contained in a cup (e.g., "一杯茶" means "a cup of tea").

  • "壺": used for items contained in a pot (e.g., "一壺茶" means "a pot of tea").

  • "碗": used for items contained in a bowl (e.g., "一碗紅豆湯" means "a bowl of sweet red bean soup").

  • "碟": means plate (e.g., "一碟春卷" means "a plate of spring rolls").

  • "籠": means basket or cage, used for items like steamer baskets (e.g., "一籠蝦餃" means "a basket of shrimp dumplings").

• Generic Measure Word

  • The measure word "個" can be used for nearly all nouns, including round objects and nonspecific items.

    • E.g., "一個叉燒包" for "a barbecue pork bun.

  • Used for small items and long/narrow items:

    • E.g., "一條腸粉" for "a rice noodle roll" and "一件衣服" for "a piece of clothing."

Examples of Measure Words Usage

• Specific Examples:

  • "一壺茶" - a pot of tea.

  • "一杯茶" - a cup of tea.

  • "一籠蝦餃" - a basket of shrimp dumplings.

  • "一個叉燒包" - a barbecue pork bun.

  • "一碟春卷" - a plate of spring rolls.

  • "一件蘿蔔糕" - a piece of Chinese radish cake.

• Counting Examples:

  • "一壺水" - a pot of water.

  • "兩杯茶" - 2 cups of tea.

  • "三籠豬肉餃" - 3 baskets of pork dumplings.

  • "四碟米粉卷" - 4 plates of rice noodle rolls.

  • "五碗豆腐花" - 5 bowls of tofu pudding.

Exercises and Answers

1. If we say a shrimp dumpling in Cantonese, which sentence pattern is correct?

   • Answer: Numeral + Measure word + Noun.

2. Which container for dim sum is shown in the picture?

   • Answer: "籠", meaning basket.

3. What measure word is used for describing a barbecue pork bun in Cantonese?

   • Answer: "個", used for generic items.

4. Which measure word should be used for a piece of spring roll in Cantonese?

   • Answer: "條", used for long and narrow items.