Cantonese/Lesson 5

Introduction to measuring words

Unlike English, measuring words are needed when you need to say an object. For example we only need to say a book in English, but in Cantonese, when have to put a measuring word in front of the object, like 一本書. Here is a table of some measuring words:

Measuring word	Pronunciation	When to use	Example
本	bun2	a flat object, but not very thin	Book書
個	go3	an irregular object	Apple蘋果, orange橙
塊	faai3	an irregular, flatten object	cookie曲奇餅
張	zoeng1	a very thin and flat object	paper紙, ticket飛
隻	zek3	an animal that is not flat; non-elongated object	chicken雞, cow牛, egg雞蛋, watch錶
條	tiu4	an animal that is flat; an elongated object	fish魚, crocodile鱷魚, rope繩, belt皮帶, trousers褲, straw飲管
部	bou6	machine	computer電腦
對	deoi3	pair of	shoes鞋, socks襪 (NOT trousers)
座	zo6	building	high-rise building大廈, tower塔
嚿（正字係䊆)	gau6	A piece of	Use for wood 木, rice 飯 etc.

Practice

Imagine you are doing shopping and need to get some grocery from a shopkeeper. Study the following dialogues and make your own version with the above examples of measuring words:

店員：你想買乜嘢？

我：我想買一隻雞。

Translation:

Shopkeeper: What would you like?

Me: I want to buy a chicken.