幅

Classifier for Pictures and Cloth

Level 2Sounds Like fuk1

Use 幅 (fuk1) when counting or describing wide, flat display surfaces and structural expanses, such as paintings, maps, jigsaw puzzles, walls, and large hanging textiles.

How It Works

Understanding 幅 (fuk1)

The classifier 幅 (fuk1) originally comes from a root meaning 'width' or 'breadth'. In Cantonese, it is used for wide, two-dimensional flat surfaces, mounted media, visual art, photos, architectural spans, plots of land, and large textiles.

Key Nouns Used with 幅 (fuk1):

  • Visual Media, Art & Photos: 畫 (waa2 - painting/drawing), 相 (soeng2) / 相片 (soeng2 pin2 - photo), 書法 (syu1 faat3 - calligraphy), 砌圖 (cai3 tou4) / 拼圖 (ping3 tou4 - jigsaw puzzle). Note that for photos, Cantonese uses both 張 (zoeng1) and 幅 (fuk1). While historically 幅 (fuk1) was used for framed or mounted photos, in contemporary Cantonese, they are often interchangeable when referring to the visual content or image of a photo (including digital ones). However, the action of taking a photo usually uses 張 (zoeng1) (e.g., 影張相 jing2 zoeng1 soeng2).
  • Projection Screens: 投影幕 (tau4 jing2 mok6 - projection screen). Note that digital screens and monitors take 個 (go3) or 部 (bou6).
  • Maps & Charts: 地圖 (dei6 tou4 - map). Note that 張 (zoeng1) is also an extremely common classifier for maps.
  • Architectural Spans: 牆 (coeng4 - wall). Note that 埲 (bung6) is a Cantonese-specific classifier alternative specifically for walls.
  • Plots of Land: 地 (dei6 - land). Note that 塊 (faai3) is the most common classifier for plots of land, though 幅 (fuk1) is also used for large tracts.
  • Large Textiles: 布 (bou3 - cloth), 窗簾 (coeng1 lim4 - curtains), 錦旗 (gam2 kei4 - banner), tapestries, or wide decorative cloth hangs.

Demonstratives:
Combine with 呢 (ni1 - this) or 嗰 (go2 - that) to form 呢幅 (ni1 fuk1 - this picture/wall) and 嗰幅 (go2 fuk1 - that picture/wall).

Bare Classifier Function:
In spoken Cantonese, placing a bare classifier directly before a noun (幅牆 fuk1 coeng4) is strictly definite ('the wall') in subject or topic position (e.g., 幅牆好高 fuk1 coeng4 hou2 gou1 - 'The wall is tall'). However, in postverbal object position (e.g., 佢砌咗幅牆 keoi5 cai3 zo2 fuk1 coeng4 - 'He built a/the wall'), it can be either definite ('the wall') or indefinite ('a wall', with 一 omitted). Bare classifiers are strictly singular. To express a plural definite (e.g., 'the walls'), you must drop the specific classifier and use the plural classifier 啲 (di1) (e.g., 啲牆 di1 coeng4).

Examples (4)

  1. 呢幅畫係佢最滿意嘅作品。

    This painting is his most satisfying work.

    Word by Word: this [CL] painting is he most satisfied [possessive] work

    Combine 幅 (fuk1) with 呢 (ni1 - this) to refer to a specific piece of artwork.

  2. 幅牆上面掛住一幅世界地圖。

    A world map is hanging on the wall.

    Word by Word: [CL] wall on top hang [durative] one [CL] world map

    Use 幅 (fuk1) with the numeral 一 (jat1) when counting maps.

  3. 呢幅牆好舊，要重新油過。

    This wall is very old and needs to be repainted.

    Word by Word: this [CL] wall very old, need again paint [iterative]

    Walls (牆 coeng4) take the classifier 幅 (fuk1).

  4. 我同朋友砌緊一幅五百塊嘅砌圖。

    My friend and I are assembling a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle.

    Word by Word: I with friend assemble [progressive] one [CL] five hundred piece [possessive] puzzle

    Jigsaw puzzles (砌圖 cai3 tou4) take 幅 (fuk1) as their overall classifier.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking 張 (zoeng1) cannot be used for a photo on a wall.

    Different Meaning呢張相掛喺牆上面。
    呢幅相掛喺牆上面。

    呢張相掛喺牆上面 is natural. 張 (zoeng1) treats the photo as a print, and 幅 (fuk1) treats it as a picture on the wall, so both are common. Taking a photo uses 影張相.

  • Confusing the classifier 幅 (fuk1) with the similar-sounding 副 (fu3).

    呢幅眼鏡好靚。
    呢副眼鏡好靚。

    Although they sound similar, 副 (fu3) is used for sets or pairs of things (like glasses, cards, or mahjong tiles) and facial expressions. 幅 (fuk1) is strictly for flat, wide surfaces like pictures, walls, and cloth.

  • Using 幅 (fuk1) when you want a small cut piece of cloth.

    Different Meaning請剪一幅布畀我。
    請剪一塊布畀我。

    Use 塊 (faai3) for a small cut piece or swatch of fabric. 幅 (fuk1) means a full width of cloth, a banner or a tapestry, so 請剪一幅布畀我 is a fine sentence but it asks for a whole width.

How It Connects

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

幅Level 2Classifier for Pictures and Cloth

Learn This First

幅 is a specific classifier used for rectangular flat objects like paintings and maps. To use it correctly, learners need to understand the basic syntax of Cantonese classifiers and how they fit into noun phrases.

Words in This Pattern

幅