It must be remarked that some nouns may take more than one classifier, sometimes one being used and sometimes another.
The most common classifier is kuh (個). “It is applied to such nouns as have no special classifier, and may upon occasion be applied to almost any noun as a substitute for the special classifier” (Mateer).
The classifier tsak (隻) is used with animals, birds, fowls, insects; also with articles of furniture having legs or resting on a base; also with vessels, boats, etc.
VOCABULARY
- A man, ih kuh nyung 一個人.
- A woman, ih kuh °nyui-nyung (lit. female human being) 一個女人.
- A teacher, ih kuh sien-sang (lit. born before) 一個先生.
- A child, ih kuh °siau-noen 一個小囝.
- An egg, ih kuh dan° 一個蛋.
- A cash, ih kuh doong-dien 一個銅錢.
(See second note at end of lesson.) - A dollar, ih kuh yang-dien 一個洋錢.
- A servant, ih kuh yoong°-nyung 一個用人.
- A table, ih tsak de-°ts 一隻檯子.
- A chair, ih tsak iui°-°ts 一隻椅子.
- An orange, ih tsak kyoeh-°ts 一隻橘子.
- A pupil, ih kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts 一個學生子.
- To want, to wish, iau° 要. Also used in forming the future tense of verbs, as will be explained later.
EXERCISES
(Translate into English)
- (1) Ih kuh nyung iau° ih tsak de-°ts.
- (2) Ih kuh °nyui-nyung iau° ih tsak iui°-°ts.
- (3) Ih kuh °siau-noen iau° ih kuh doong-dien.
- (4) Ih kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts iau° ih kuh sien-sang.
- (5) Ih kuh yoong°-nyung iau° ih kuh dan°.
- (6) Ih kuh yoong°-nyung iau° ih kuh yang-dien.
- (7) Ih kuh °siau-noen iau° ih tsak kyoeh-°ts.
- (一) 一個人要一隻檯子.
- (二) 一個女人要一隻椅子.
- (三) 一個小囝要一個銅錢.
- (四) 一個學生子要一個先生.
- (五) 一個用人要一個蛋.
- (六) 一個用人要一個洋錢.
- (七) 一個小囝要一隻橘子.
(Translate into Chinese)