杯

Classifier for Cupfuls

Level 1Sounds Like bui1

Use 杯 (bui1) when counting cupfuls or glasses of drinks (e.g., 一杯水 jat1 bui1 seoi2 - a cup of water). To talk about the physical cup object itself, use 隻 (zek3) instead.

How It Works

In Cantonese, container measure words connect directly to nouns without any intervening particle like 嘅.

1. Measuring Contents vs. Physical Container:
Use 杯 (bui1) to measure what is inside the vessel (e.g., 一杯茶 jat1 bui1 caa4 - a cup of tea). If you want to count or buy the empty physical container itself, use the classifier 隻 (zek3) (e.g., 一隻杯 jat1 zek3 bui1 - a cup/glass as an object).

2. Structure:
Follow the standard pattern Number + Classifier + Noun (e.g., 三杯啤酒 saam1 bui1 be1 zau2 - three glasses of beer).

3. Omission of 一 (jat1):
After action verbs like 飲 (jam2 - drink) or 畀 (bei2 - give), native speakers frequently drop the number 一 (jat1). Thus, 飲杯水 (jam2 bui1 seoi2) naturally means 'drink a glass of water'.

4. Broad Applicability:
杯 (bui1) applies to both hot and cold beverages (tea, coffee, ice water, beer), as well as cup-portioned food items like cups of ice cream (一杯雪糕 jat1 bui1 syut3 gou1). Note that in cup noodles (杯麵 bui1 min6), '杯' is part of the noun itself, so you count them using the classifier 個 (go3) (e.g., 一個杯麵 jat1 go3 bui1 min6).

Examples (4)

  1. 唔該，畀杯冰水呀。

    Excuse me, please give me a glass of ice water.

    Word by Word: Excuse me, give cup ice water [particle].

    The numeral 一 (jat1) is omitted after the verb 畀 (bei2), which is common in spoken Cantonese.

  2. 我每日都要飲兩杯咖啡。

    I need to drink two cups of coffee every day.

    Word by Word: I every day all need drink two cup coffee.

    Uses 兩 (loeng5) for 'two' before the classifier 杯 (bui1).

  3. 呢杯茶好熱，遲啲先飲啦。

    This cup of tea is very hot; drink it a bit later.

    Word by Word: This cup tea very hot, later first drink [particle].

    Combines the demonstrative 呢 (ni1 - this) with 杯 (bui1).

  4. 佢想買一隻杯，唔係想買一杯茶。

    He wants to buy a cup (object), not a cup of tea.

    Word by Word: He want buy one [classifier] cup, not is want buy one cup tea.

    Contrasts 隻 (zek3) for the container object with 杯 (bui1) for the contents.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding 嘅 (ge3) between 杯 (bui1) and the liquid noun

    唔該畀一杯嘅水我。
    唔該畀一杯水我。

    Cantonese links container measure words directly to nouns without 嘅 (ge3).

  • Using 一杯 when you mean one physical cup.

    Different Meaning我喺商店買咗一杯。
    我喺商店買咗一隻杯。

    我買咗一杯 is a good sentence, but 杯 counts what is inside, so it is heard as ‘a cup of (a drink)’. To count the cups themselves, use 隻 (zek3): 一隻杯.

  • Using 個 (go3) or 杯子 (bui1 zi2) where 隻杯 is more usual.

    Different Meaning我要一個杯子。
    我要一隻杯。

    一隻杯 (jat1 zek3 bui1) is the usual way to ask for an empty cup. 一個杯子 is understood, but 杯子 and 個 sound Mandarin-influenced.

How It Connects

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杯Level 1Classifier for Cupfuls

Learn This First

To use '杯' as a classifier for cupfuls, you first need to understand the basic role of classifiers in Cantonese and how they fit into the standard noun phrase structure (Number + Classifier + Noun).

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