156. The distinctive numeral particles, or those employed with the appellative or generic nouns, here follow.
- 箇 kú‘ (keu‘), of men, fish, cash, dials, collars, and all relative terms.
- 顆 ’k’ú, of pearls.
- 根 kun (root), of candles, hairs, trees, masts, bamboos.
- 管 kwén (pipe), of flutes, pencils.
- 口 ’k’eu (mouth), of coffins, men (as consumers).
- 科 k’ú, of plants, trees, roots, 三科樹 san k’ú zû‘, 3 trees.
- 塊 k’wé‘, of stones, bricks, dollars.
- 件 kíen‘, of garments, affairs, news, things.
- 頭 teu, of men, of cattle (when reckoned by heads).
- 頂 ’ting, of sedan chairs, hats, umbrellas, curtains.
- 朶 ’tú, of single flowers.
- 燈 tung, of candles, lights, 一燈火 ih tung ’hú, a light.
- 堵 ’tú, of walls, 一堵牆 ih ’tú dziáng, a wall.
- 條 tiau, of snakes, dragons, bridges, ropes, roads.
- 把 ’pó (hold in hand); of chairs, knives, fans, wine bowls.
- 本 ’pun (root), of books, account books, plays.
- 匹 p’ih, of horses (隻 is more common.)
- 面 míen, of mirrors, brass and skin gongs.
- 幅 fóh, of pictures, maps.
- 對 fóng, of letters, 一封信 ih fóng sing‘, a letter.
- 文 vun, of cash, (個 is more common).
- 隻 tsáh, of birds, quadrupeds, tables, temples, hands, feet, watches, shoes, clocks, eyes, ears, vessels.
- 盞 ’tsan, of lamps.
- 樁 tsong, of matters.
- 種 ’tsóng, of matters.
- 枝 tsz, of pencils, branches, stalks.
- 座 zú‘, of houses, mountains, pagodas.
- 乘 zung, of carriages.
- 圓 yön, of dollars.
- 樣 yáng‘, of affairs, matters.
- 項 háng‘, of things, matters. Also 星 sing, of things.
Obs. i. The office of these substantive particles is simply indicative. The reason of their application to particular words is custom only, but etymological connection is sometimes traceable as in 封 to close up, 頭 is applied to men only as a suffix.
Obs. ii. All generic and relative nouns are here included. They are distinguished in English from material nouns by taking the plural, and admitting a, an, before them.
Obs. iii. These words differ frequently, in their application to particular nouns, from the usage of other parts of the country. A native of Fúh-kien would laugh to hear 隻 tsáh, instead of 枝 tsz, applied to hands and feet. In mandarin 尾 vi‘, is the distinctive particle for fish instead of 箇 kú‘, which is employed in this dialect.
Obs. iv. Most of these particles are employed in mandarin. They are used sparingly in the historical novels, because the semi-colloquial, semi-literary style of those works only occasionally expands into full conversational idiom. When it does so, they are always found.
157. The next class of the auxiliary substantives are such as are significant, or retain their meaning when translated into English, giving to their substantives, which are either material nouns or are construed as such, limitations of form and quantity.
Obs. Weights and measures, names of vessels, divisions of books, etc., though belonging to the significant auxiliary particles, will be placed separately (see [Art. 158–160]).
- 間 kan, a room of a house, ih kan vong deu, a room.
- 口 ’k’eu, mouthful of breath, words, rice.
- 句 kü‘, a sentence of speech, ih kü seh wó‘.
- 竿 kûn, rod of bamboo for fishing, ih kûn diau‘ kûn.
- 科 k’ú, pluck up a heap of grass, pah ih k’ú ’t’sau.
- 塊 k’wé‘, a piece of land, meat, silver.
- 捆 ’k’wun (to roll), a faggot of wood.
- 局 kióh, play a game at chess, tsoh ih gióh gí.
- 眼 ’ngan (eye) holes in nets, of nails, cash, a little of any thing.
- 担 tan‘(to carry), a load of anything, ih tan‘ meh zz‘.
- 點 ’tíen drop of ink, little of anything.
- 湯 t’ong, how many kinds of food, ’kí t’ong van‘.
- 墩 tun, heap of earth, rubbish.
- 檯 té, a stage of plays, table of wine, food.
- 頭 teu, bring an end of rope, tan ih deu zung.
- 條 tiau, long piece of iron, wood, string of cash.
- 段 tön, piece cut off, of wood, string, etc.
- 板 ’pan, half sheet of paper.
- 包 pau (to wrap) a parcel, bundle of cotton, sugar.
- 把 ’pó, handful of rice, ih ’pó ’mí.
- 派 p’á‘, division of things, kind of men, customs.
- 篇 p’íen‘, a piece of elegant composition, ih p’íen vun tsáng.
- 片 p’íen, piece of gold, ih p’íen kiun ’tsz.
- 疋 p’ih, piece of cloth.
- 鋪 p’ú (to spread), covering of carpets, coverlids.
- 門 mun (touch-hole), piece of artillery.
- 紐 ’nieu, san ’nieu zung, three skeins of string.
- 方 fong (square), a piece of cloth, land, ih fong tí bí.
- 封 fóng, a packet of silver, ih fóng niung ’tsz.
- 手 ’seu, ih ’seu ni, handful of earth.
- 張 tsáng (to extend), sheet of paper.
- 節 tsih, knot of bamboo, joint of finger.
- 串 t’sén, string of flowers, cash, beads.
- 餐 t’sön, meal of rice.
- 軸 dzóh (rollers), map on rollers, ih gióh wó‘, a picture.
- 席 dzih (mat), party at dinner.
- 扇 sén‘, open one leaf of the door, ih sén‘ mun, k’é k’é.
- 重 zóng, layers of books, dress.
- 層 zung, story of pagodas, steps of ladders.
- 陣 dzun‘, gust of wind, shower of rain.
- 葉 ih, leaf of grass, flowers, ih ih ’t’sau, a blade of grass.
- 圓 yön, small cake of meat, medicine.
- 粒 lih, seed of corn.
Obs. i. Words expressing kind of, sort of such as 種樣星 tsóng yang‘ sing, have been placed with those particles that are simply indicative, because they are applied to nouns complete in their form and organization, e.g. 伊種人 í ’tsóng niun, that sort of man; 第星 事體 tí‘ sing zz‘ ’t’i, this sort of thing. Having a significance of their own, they should also be mentioned here.