Classifiers in Penang Hokkien

1.0: Classifiers are words used to quantify countable items, for example a cake of soap, a school of fish, a piece of paper, and so on. They are known in Malay as Penjodoh Bilangan. Although classifiers do appear in English, they are not as common place in English compared to most Asian languages including Malay, Mandarin, Japanese and of course Penang Hokkien.

A major difference between English and Penang Hokkien (or for that matter, most Asian languages) is that a classifier is almost always required when mentioning a numbered indefinite item (i.e. a box, three tables, etc.) The classifier in Penang Hokkien is always attached to the indefinite article or cardinal number.

1.1: List of Classifiers

The following are some of the more common classifiers that you will encounter in Penang Hokkien. Apart from the general classifier leh2, the rest are listed in alphabetical order. Some classifiers require the possessive particle -eh3 (which translates roughly as "of") to take an object. When there is -eh3, the classifier does not modify its tone.

leh2 [le]

General classifier for itemized units of countable objects. Fall back to using it when you are unsure what would be a more precise classifier to employ. It modifies to leh3 when it takes an object.

Cit3-leh3 tok1teng4.
One table.

Kui1-leh3 tok1teng4? Cit3 leh2.
How many tables? One.

bin33 [bin]

Classifier for pages. It requires -eh3 to take an object, so does not change its tone.

Nor33-bin33-eh3 ji33.
Two pages of words.

Kui1-bin33-eh3 ji33? Nor33 bin33.
How many pages of words? Two.

boey4 [boe]

Classifier for animals, particular fish and reptiles. It modifies to boey1 when it takes an object.

Nor33-boey1 hu2.
Two fish.

Kui1-boey1 hu2? Nor33 boey4.
How many fish? Two.

can3 [tsan]

Classifier for levels or storeys of a building. It modifies to can1 when it takes an object.

Snar3-can1 lau2.
Three-storey building.

Kui1-can1 lau2? Snar3 can3.
How many storeys? Three.

cang2 [tsaŋ]

Classifier for plants and leafy vegetables. It modifies to cang3 when it takes an object.

Snar3-cang3 hua3cang2.
Two flowering plants.

Kui1-cang3 hua3cang2? Snar3 cang2.
How many flowering plants? Three.

ciak3 [tsiak]

Classifier for animals, particular mammals and insects. It modifies to ciak1 when it takes an object.

See1-ciak1 kay1.
Four chickens.

Kui1-ciak1 kay1? See1 ciak3.
How many chickens? Four.

keng1 [keŋ]

Classifier for buildings. It modifies to keng3 when it takes an object.

Gor33-keng1 chu2.
Five houses.

Kui1-keng3 chu3? Gor33 keng1.
How many houses? Five.

ko1 [ko]

Classifier for month.

Ie1 lai2 lark3-ko1 goay1.
He comes for six months.

Wah4-eh3 chu3 kui1-ko1 goay1 ka1 e33 ho4?
How many more months before my house can be completed?

kheok3 [k^hioʔ]

Classifier for people. It modifies to kheok1 when it takes an object.

Chit1-kheok1 ca3bor4.
Seven women.

Kui1-kheok1 ca3bor3? Chit1 kheok4.
How many women? Seven.

khien4 [k^hiɛn]

Classifier for people. It modifies to khien1 when it takes an object.

Gor33-khien1 lang2.
Five people.

Kui1-khien1 lang2? Gor33 khien4.
How many people? Five.

ki1 [ki]

Classifier for long, stiff objects such as branches, twigs, wood, etc. It modifies to ki3 when it takes an object.

Pek1-ki3 cha2.
Eight pieces of wood.

Kui1-ki3 cha2? Pek1 ki1.
How many pieces of wood? Eight.

liap1 [liap]

Classifier for fruits, eggs, stones and other objects that are usually portable. It modifies to liap3 when it takes an object.

Kau1-liap3 buah3.
Nine fruits.

Kui1-liap3 buah3? Kau1 liap1.
How many fruits? Nine.

lui4 [lui]

Classifier for flowers. It modifies to liap1 when it takes an object.

Cap3-lui1 hua1.
Ten flowers.

Kui1-lui1 hua1? Cap3 lui4.
How many flowers? Ten.

pun4 [pun]

Classifier for books. It modifies to pun1 when it takes an object.

Cap3-it1-pun1 chaek3.
Eleven books.

Kui1-pun1 chaek1? Cap3-it1 pun4.
How many books? Eleven.

sniau1 [siãu]

Classifier for items in crates or cartons. It is used with -eh3 ("of").

Cap3-jee33-sniau1-eh3 kam1.
Two cartons of oranges.

song4 [sɔŋ]

Classifier for stacked items. It is used with -eh3 ("of").

Cit3-song4-eh3 cua4.
A stack of papers.

tay3 [te]

Classifier for flat pieces of items. It modifies to tay1 when it takes an object.

Jee33-cap3-tay1 lo3ti1.
Twenty slices of bread.

Kui1-tay1 lo3ti1? Jee33-cap3 tay3.
How many slices of bread? Nine.

teng4 [teŋ]

Classifier for vehicles. It modifies to teng1 when it takes an object.

Cit3-pak1-teng1 chia1.
A hundred cars.

Kui1-teng1 chia1? Cit3-pak1 teng4.
How many cars? A hundred.

thak1 [t^haʔ]

Classifier for things in stacks, such as paper and books. It requires -eh3, so does not modify its tone.

Cit3-thak1-eh3 cua4.
A stack of papers.

Kui1-thak1-eh3 cua4? Cit3 thak1.
How many stacks? One.

tiau2 [tiau]

Classifier for long objects that are not stiff such as strings, ropes, etc. It modifies to tiau3 when it takes an object.

Snar3-tiau3 snua3.
Three pieces of string.

Kui1-tiau3 snua3? Snar3 tiau2.
How many pieces of string? Three.

tui3 [tui]

Classifier for groups of people. It requires the possessive particle -eh3 to take an object, and does not modify its tone.

Nor33-tui3-eh3 ta3por1.
Two groups of men.

Kui1-tui3-eh3 ta3por1? Nor33 tui3.
How many groups of men? Two.

wan2 [uan]

Classifier for things in lumps. It requires the possessive particle -eh3 to take an object, and does not modify its tone.

Cit3-wan2-eh3 thor2.
A lump of soil.

Kui1-wan2-eh3 thor2? Cit3 wan2.
How many lumps of soil? One.

2.0: Other Types of Classifiers

Other group of words that can be considered classifiers: 2.1: Numeral Classifiers
These include the words cap1 (ten), pak3 (hundred), cheng1 (thousand) and ban33 (ten thousand). They are placed after the digit they number. Cheng1 is used in the Basic Form (corresponding with the comma) unless it is spoken in an abbreviated form. Words in the Modified Form are hyphenated together. Cheng1 is not hyphenated to the next digit when it is in the Basic Form.

thirty (literally, three-tens): snar3-cap1
one hundred fifty (literally, one hundred five-tens: cit3-pak1-gor33-cap1
four thousand seven hundred (4,700): see1-cheng1 chit1-pak3; abbreviated form see1-cheng3-chit3

2.2: Instance Classifier
The word tau4 classifies the number of times or instances. It is hyphenated to the preceding digit. I eat three times a day.
Wah1 cit3 jit1 ciak3 snar3 tau4.

I repaired my car five times already.
Wah1 siu3li4 wah4-eh3 chia1 gor33 tau4 liau4. 2.3: Time Classifier
Words that show a specific period of time, such as jit1 (day), meh2 (night), leh1pai3 (week), hoon3ceng1 (minute), ni2 (year), etc. These are not hyphenated to the preceding digit. Note that when the classifier appears after the object, the object remains in the Basic Form. I waited for you for 20 minutes.
Wah1 tan4 lu4 jee3-cap3 hoon3ceng1.

He comes for three days.
Ee1 lai2 snar3 jit1.

3.0: Classification of things by their receptacles

As with English, things can also be classified in Penang Hokkien by their receptacles. This is especially the case with otherwise uncountable items. In such instances, add the possessive particle -eh3 between the receptacle and the measured item.

4.0: When to use a Classifier in Penang Hokkien

4.1: A classifier is required with the indefinite article (a/an) and cardinal number (one, two, three, etc.) It is an optional element with a demonstrative adjective (this, that, many, etc.).

In the example below, notice "teng*" (the classifier for vehicles) suffixed to the indefinite article (a, an) or cardinal number (one, two, etc.) I hyphenate classifiers.

* teng4 is the classifier for vehicles. It is usually used in the Modified Form when it precedes an object, as is pronounced teng1. a car / one car: cit3-teng1 chia1
two cars: nor33-teng1 chia1 4.2: Classifiers are not used with definite articles (the). the car: heh1leh1 chia1 The classifier "teng" is not used, but is replaced by the general classifier leh2 4.3: Penang Hokkien uses heh1-leh1 for both the definite article the as well as the demonstrative adjective that.
Heh1-leh1 chia1 can mean the car as well as that car. I buy a car:
Wah1 beh1* cit3-teng1 chia1.
* The verb sandhis in the normal tone. You can also use the citation tone for emphasis.

I buy the/that car:
Wah1 beh4 heh1-leh1 chia1.
4.4: The demonstrative adjective "that" can be expressed using heh1leh1 (same as "the"), as well as heh1+classifier. I buy that car:
Wah1 beh4 heh1-leh1 chia1.
Wah4 beh4 heh1-teng1 chia1. 4.5: The demonstrative adjective "this" can be expressed using cit1leh1 as well as cit1+classifier. I buy this car:
Wah1 beh4 cit1-leh1 chia1.
Wah4 beh4 cit1-teng1 chia1.

5.0 Forming Questions

5.1: Use the classifier with indefinite questions. "How many" is kui1+ classifier. How many cars did you buy?
Lu1 beh4 kui1-teng1 chia1?

I bought only one car.
Wah1 beh4 kan3na33 cit3-teng1 chia1. 5.2: Use the classifier with demonstrative questions, those with the the demonstrative adjective "which" (tok1cit3+classifier) Which car did you buy?
Lu1 beh4 tok1cit3-teng1 chia1?

I bought this car.
Wah1 beh4 cit1-teng1 chia1. 5.3: Do not use the classifier with definite questions, those having the interrogative adjective "what" (ha1mik1). What car did you buy?
Lu1 beh4 ha1mik1 chia1?

I bought Perodua MYVI.
Wah1 beh4 Perodua MYVI.

6.0 Uncountable Nouns

6.1: Classifiers are not used with uncountable nouns. They are however used with the countable packaging of the uncountable nouns. In the example below, the classifier is "box" (ark1). The possessive particle -eh3 is used to mean "of". Both classifiers and the particle eh3 are hyphenated. Note the difference between the indefinite article "a" (cit3) and the demonstrative adjective "this" (cit1). I bought milk.
Wah1 beh1 gu3leng1.

I bought a box of milk.
Wah1 beh4 cit3-ak1-eh3 gu3leng1.

I bought this box of milk.
Wah1 beh4 cit1-ak1-eh3 gu3leng1.

How many boxes of milk did you buy?
Lu1 beh3 kui1-ak1-eh3 gu3leng1?
(Note that, unlike English, the sentence order is not inverted to form questions.
The sentence literally reads, "You buy how many boxes of milk?") 7.2: Observe the following sentences, paying particular attention to the tone used for each word. Although most Hokkien speakers - myself included - often make slight grammatical mistakes in proper pronunciation, learners should take not to object the rules as stated below.

I bought car.
Wah1 beh1 chia1.
Where there is a simple object present, both the subject and verb are in the modified form.

I bought a car.
Wah1 beh4 cit3-teng1 chia1.
Where a classifier is present, the verb is in the Basic Form. The indefinite article or cardinal number (a, one, etc.) to which the classifier is suffixed is in the modified form.

I bought one.
Wah1 beh4 cit3-teng4.
Where the object is implied, the classifier is in the basic form.

I bought a blue-colour car.
Wah1 beh4 cit3-teng1 lam3 sek3-eh3 chia1.

I bought the blue one.
Wah1 beh4 lam3 sek3 eh2.

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