Language/Yue-chinese/Vocabulary/Numbers
Hello and welcome to the "Complete 0 to A1 Yue Chinese Course". In this lesson, we will learn how to count and use numbers in Yue Chinese. Numbers are an essential part of daily communication, whether it is to count money, tell time, or give your phone number. Let's get started!
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Time 時間 & Family.
Basic Numbers
Yue Chinese uses the same numeric system as Mandarin Chinese. Here are the first ten numbers:
| Yue Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | jat1 | one |
| 二 | ji6 | two |
| 三 | saam1 | three |
| 四 | sei3 | four |
| 五 | ng5 | five |
| 六 | luk6 | six |
| 七 | cat1 | seven |
| 八 | baat3 | eight |
| 九 | gau2 | nine |
| 十 | sap6 | ten |
If you want to say eleven, twelve, etc., simply add ten to the unit digit, and use the word for ten (十) as a connector. For example, eleven is 十一 (sap6 jat1), twelve is 十二 (sap6 ji6), and so on.
Large Numbers
To express larger numbers in Yue Chinese, the numbers ten, hundred, and thousand are used as multipliers. Here are some examples:
- 二十 (ji6 sap6) - twenty (literally two tens)
- 一百 (jat1 baak3) - one hundred
- 三百五十 (saam1 baak3 ng5 sap6) - three hundred and fifty
- 一千 (jat1 cin1) - one thousand
- 三千六百 (saam1 cin1 luk6 baak3) - three thousand six hundred
Notice that the word for "hundred" (百) and "thousand" (千) are used as nouns, while the word for "ten" (十) is used as a connector.
Counting Objects
In Yue Chinese, there are different classifiers used for counting different types of objects. Here are some examples:
- 一個人 (jat1 go3 jan4) - one person (個 go3 is the generic classifier for people and objects)
- 兩隻貓 (loeng5 zek3 maau1) - two cats (隻 zek3 is the classifier for small animals)
- 一本書 (jat1 bun2 syu1) - one book (本 bun2 is the classifier for books)
- 一張紙 (jat1 zoeng1 zi2) - one sheet of paper (張 zoeng1 is the classifier for flat objects like paper and photographs)
Note that the classifier comes after the number and before the noun it modifies.
Time and Dates
To express time in Yue Chinese, the same system as in English is used: hours and minutes. For example, 6:30 is 六點半 (luk6 dim2 bun3), and 7:45 is 七點四十五分 (cat1 dim2 sei3 sap6 ng5 fan1). Note that the word for "minute" (分) is added after the number of minutes.
When referring to dates, the word for "year" (年 jyun4), "month" (月 jyut6), and "day" (日 jat6) are used. For example, January 1st, 2022 is 二零二二年一月一日 (ji6 ling4 ji6 ji6 nin4 jat1 jyut6 jat1 jat6).
Useful Phrases
Here are some useful phrases to practice using the numbers we have learned:
- 幾多錢？ (gei2 do1 cin2?) - How much does it cost?
- 我要買兩個蘋果。 (ngo5 jiu3 maai5 loeng5 go3 ping4 gwo2.) - I want to buy two apples.
- 今日幾點？ (gam1 jat6 gei2 dim2?) - What time is it?
- 我出生於一九九五年。 (ngo5 ceot1 sang1 jyu1 jat1 gau2 jau5 nin4.) - I was born in 1995.
Congratulations, you have learned how to count and use numbers in Yue Chinese! Remember to practice often and don't forget to check out the next lesson on food and drink vocabulary.
Sources
Other Lessons
- Animals
- Colors
- Television and Movies
- Health
- Clothes
- Days of the Week
- Workplace Vocabulary
- Education
- Food and Drink