塊

Classifier for Slabs and Slices

Level 2Sounds Like faai3

塊 (faai3) classifies flat, firm, or slab-like objects (e.g., mirrors, wooden boards), cut slices with thickness (like bread or cake), plots of land, and the human face.

How It Works

塊 (faai3) is a core Cantonese shape classifier used for items that are flat, rigid, or sliced into pieces with moderate thickness.

1. Key Categories for 塊 (faai3):

  • Cut Slices and Slabs: Slices of bread (麪包 min6 baau1), toast (多士 do1 si6), cake (蛋糕 daan6 gou1), or flat steaks/meat (肉 juk6).
  • Flat Rigid Surfaces & Objects: Mirrors (鏡 geng3), wooden boards (木板 muk6 baan2), signboards/plaques (牌 paai2), roof tiles (瓦 ngaa5), banana peels (蕉皮 ziu1 pei4).
  • Land: Plots or tracts of land (地 dei6).
  • Body Parts: In Cantonese, 塊 (faai3) is the usual classifier for the face (面 min6).

2. Grammatical Structures:

  • [Number] + 塊 + [Noun]: 一塊蛋糕 (jat1 faai3 daan6 gou1, "a slice of cake").
  • [Bare Classifier] + [Noun]: Using 塊 directly before a noun functions like a definite article ("the") or possessive ("my/your"), e.g., 塊面 (faai3 min6, "the face / my face").

3. Shape Distinctions & Pitfalls:

  • 塊 (faai3) vs. 嚿 (gau6): 塊 is flat or slab-like (e.g. a thin flat steak), whereas 嚿 is for 3D, bulky chunks or lumps (e.g. a thick chunk of meat or rock).
  • 塊 (faai3) vs. 張 (zoeng1): 張 is for thin flexible sheets like paper, photos, or flat-topped furniture, whereas 塊 is for rigid slabs, boards, mirrors, land, and the face.
  • Currency Warning: Do NOT use 塊 (faai3) for money in spoken Cantonese! Mandarin uses 块 (kuài), but spoken Cantonese uses 蚊 (man1) for dollars (e.g., 十蚊 sap6 man1 = $10).

Examples (4)

  1. 食完香蕉之後，要掉咗塊蕉皮。

    After eating the banana, throw away the banana peel.

    Word by Word: eat finish banana after, need throw away [classifier] banana peel

    塊 (faai3) is used here for the flat peel of a banana (蕉皮 ziu1 pei4).

  2. 你塊面好污糟，快啲去洗吓啦。

    Your face is dirty; go wash it quickly.

    Word by Word: you [classifier] face very dirty, fast a bit go wash [delimitative] [particle]

    In Cantonese, the face (面 min6) uniquely takes 塊 (faai3) as its classifier.

  3. 呢塊地好大，可以拎嚟起屋。

    This plot of land is very big; it can be used to build houses.

    Word by Word: this [classifier] land very big, can take come build house

    塊 (faai3) attaches to 地 (dei6) when referring to a plot or parcel of land.

  4. 我想食一塊多士同埋飲杯咖啡。

    I want to eat a slice of toast and drink a cup of coffee.

    Word by Word: I want eat one [classifier] toast and drink cup coffee

    塊 (faai3) classifies sliced food items like toast (多士 do1 si6).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 塊 (faai3) for money in spoken Cantonese.

    Different Meaning呢件衫十塊。
    呢件衫十蚊。

    Spoken Cantonese usually says 蚊 (man1) for dollars. 塊 (faai3) is also heard, but 蚊 is the typical choice.

  • Thinking 個 (go3) is wrong for 'face'.

    Different Meaning你一個面好紅。
    你塊面好紅。

    你一個面好紅 is fine, and 個面 is heard a lot. 塊面 (faai3 min6) is also very common, so say 塊 when you want the usual 'face' feel.

  • Using 塊 (faai3) for a bulky rock.

    Different Meaning地下有一塊石頭。
    地下有一嚿石頭。

    一塊石頭 is fine for a flat slab of stone. Bulky, lumpy rocks take 嚿 (gau6).

How It Connects

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

塊Level 2Classifier for Slabs and Slices

Learn This First

To use the classifier 塊 (faai3), you first need to understand the basic role of classifiers in Cantonese noun phrases and the standard 'Number + Classifier + Noun' word order. It is also helpful to be familiar with the general classifier '個' as a baseline.

Words in This Pattern

块