埲

Classifier for Walls

Level 4Sounds Like bong6

Use 埲 (bung6) as the measure word for walls (牆 coeng4) and sudden, concentrated wafts of smell (味 mei6) or smoke (煙 jin1).

How It Works

In Cantonese, 埲 (bung6) serves two distinct but related roles:

1. Structural Walls: It is the standard classifier for a wall (牆 coeng4). It treats the wall as a single, vertical, flat unit. While Mandarin uses 堵 (dǔ), using that in spoken Cantonese sounds overly formal or like a translation. Use 埲 (bung6) for everything from room walls to garden fences.

2. Sensory Blasts: It is used for a sudden 'wall' of smell or smoke. Unlike 陣 (zan6), which refers to a general 'burst' or 'spell' (like a gust of wind), 埲 (bung6) implies a more concentrated, thick, or sudden sensation that you 'walk into.'

Grammar Structure:
Follows the standard Number + Classifier + Noun or Demonstrative + Classifier + Noun pattern:

  • 一埲牆 (jat1 bung6 coeng4) — A wall
  • 呢埲味 (ni1 bung6 mei6) — This (blast of) smell

Examples (4)

  1. 呢埲牆好厚，隔音效果唔錯。

    This wall is very thick; the soundproofing is quite good.

    Word by Word: This [CL] wall very thick, sound-insulation effect not bad.

    Here, 埲 (bung6) is used as the standard classifier for a physical wall.

  2. 佢推冧咗嗰埲舊牆。

    He pushed down that old wall.

    Word by Word: He push-topple [PFV] that [CL] old wall.

    Used with 嗰 (go2) to specify a particular wall being knocked down.

  3. 行過垃圾房，聞到一埲臭味。

    Walking past the refuse room, I smelled a waft of stink.

    Word by Word: Walk past trash room, smell [attain] one [CL] smelly-smell.

    In this sensory context, 埲 (bung6) describes a concentrated 'cloud' or 'wall' of smell.

  4. 一埲煙湧咗入嚟。

    A cloud of smoke surged in.

    Word by Word: One [CL] smoke surge [PFV] enter come.

    Used for smoke to emphasize its thickness and sudden appearance.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Mandarin-style classifier 堵 (dou2) in speech.

    Different Meaning我屋企有一堵牆。
    我屋企有一埲牆。

    堵 (dou2) is the classifier of written Chinese and is understood in speech. In natural spoken Cantonese, 埲 (bung6) is the typical one for walls.

  • Using 條 (tiu4) for walls because they are long.

    呢條牆好高。
    呢埲牆好高。

    條 (tiu4) is for long, flexible, or narrow things (like streets or fish). Walls are categorized by their flat, barrier-like nature using 埲 (bung6).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

埲Level 4Classifier for Walls

Learn This First

埲 (bung6) is a specialized classifier used specifically for walls. To use it correctly, learners need to understand the basic Cantonese classifier system, how classifiers function within a noun phrase (especially with numbers and demonstratives), and the specific noun it modifies (牆 - wall).

Words in This Pattern

埲埲