Consecutive number range

Level 3

In Cantonese, you can estimate a quantity by saying two consecutive numbers back-to-back, like 三四 (saam1 sei3) for 'three or four'. This is the most natural way to give a 'ballpark' figure in daily conversation.

How It Works

This pattern is a hallmark of colloquial Cantonese. Instead of using a word for 'or', speakers simply juxtapose the numbers.

1. Basic Usage:
Numbers are usually consecutive and ascending (e.g., 3-4, not 4-3). Some non-consecutive pairs such as 三五個 are also heard, but for wider ranges use 定係 (ding6 hai6) in questions or 或者 (waak6 ze2) in statements.

  • 四五個 (sei3 ng5 go3): four or five (units)
  • 七八日 (cat1 baat3 jat6): seven or eight days

2. The 'Two' Rule:
When the number 2 is involved in a range at the unit, hundred, or thousand level, use 兩 (loeng5).

  • 1 or 2 = 一兩 (jat1 loeng5)
  • 2 or 3 = 兩三 (loeng5 saam1)

3. Ranges in the Teens:
For ranges between 11 and 19, the word for 'ten' (十 sap6) is only stated once at the beginning:

  • 十二三歲 (sap6 ji6 saam1 seoi3): twelve or thirteen years old
  • 十五六個 (sap6 ng5 luk6 go3): fifteen or sixteen units

4. Larger Units:
For tens, hundreds, or thousands, place the consecutive digits before the unit. Note that for the tens place, 二 (ji6) is used instead of 兩 (loeng5). You cannot use contractions like 廿 (jaa6) for ranges; you must use the full form:

  • 二三十 (ji6 saam1 sap6): twenty or thirty
  • 五六百 (ng5 luk6 baak3): five or six hundred

5. The '9-10' Exception:
You cannot say 'nine-ten' (九十 gau2 sap6) because that means 90. To say 'nine or ten', you must repeat the classifier: 九個十個 (gau2 go3 sap6 go3).

Examples (5)

  1. 我諗要等三四分鐘。

    I think [we] need to wait three or four minutes.

    Word by Word: I think need wait three four minute.

    Here, 三四 (saam1 sei3) is used with the unit 分鐘 (fan1 zung1) to show an estimate.

  2. 佢每日只係瞓得嗰五六個鐘。

    He only sleeps for five or six hours every day.

    Word by Word: He every day only is sleep [potential] that five six [classifier] hour.

    五六個 (ng5 luk6 go3) provides a range for the number of hours.

  3. 呢度離火車站只有一兩英里路。

    It's only a mile or two from here to the train station.

    Word by Word: Here away-from train station only have one two mile road.

    Notice the use of 兩 (loeng5) instead of 二 (ji6) for the range 'one or two'.

  4. 佢買咗兩三支筆。

    He bought two or three pens.

    Word by Word: He buy [perfective] two three [classifier] pen.

    兩三 (loeng5 saam1) is the standard way to say 'two or three'.

  5. 呢件衫要兩三百蚊。

    This shirt costs two or three hundred dollars.

    Word by Word: This [classifier] shirt need two three hundred dollar.

    This shows the pattern applied to a larger unit (hundreds).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 二 (ji6) instead of 兩 (loeng5) for the number two in unit-level ranges.

    我有一二個朋友。
    我有一兩個朋友。

    When expressing a range of 1-2 or 2-3 at the unit level, you must use 兩 (loeng5). However, note that for the tens place (20-30), 二 (ji6) is used instead.

  • Inserting a classifier between the two numbers.

    我要三個四個蘋果。
    我要三四個蘋果。

    The classifier should only appear once, after the pair of numbers, unless you are dealing with the 'nine or ten' exception.

  • Using 九十 (gau2 sap6) when you mean 'nine or ten'.

    Different Meaning我有九十個同學。
    我有九個十個同學。

    九十 (gau2 sap6) means exactly 90. To express the range 9-10, you must repeat the classifier (九個十個) or use a formal range marker like 至 (zi3).

How It Connects

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

Consecutive number rangeLevel 3

Learn This First

To express a range using consecutive numbers, you first need to understand the basic Cantonese counting frame (Number + Classifier + Noun) and how the number 'two' changes form in these contexts.