粒

Classifier for Small Round Things

Level 2Sounds Like lap1

Use 粒 (lap1) when counting or pointing at small, round, pellet-like, or granular items such as pills, candies, teeth, buttons, and stars.

How It Works

Understanding 粒 (lap1)
The classifier 粒 (lap1) (historically cited as nap1) is a core classifier in everyday spoken Cantonese. It is used whenever you refer to objects that are small, three-dimensional, and relatively round, spherical, pellet-like, or grain-like.

Common Nouns Used with 粒 (lap1):

  • Medicines and pills: 藥丸 (joek6 jyun2)
  • Candies and sweets: 糖 (tong2)
  • Teeth: 牙 (ngaa4)
  • Buttons: 鈕 (nau2)
  • Stars: 星 (sing1)
  • Grains and seeds: 米 (mai5 - rice), 花生 (faa1 sang1 - peanut)
  • Pimples/acne: 暗瘡 (am3 cong1)

Basic Sentence Frames:
1. Counting: [Number] + 粒 + [Noun]
Example: 兩粒藥 (loeng5 lap1 joek6 - two pills)
2. Demonstratives: 呢 (ni1) / 嗰 (go2) + 粒 + [Noun]
Example: 嗰粒星 (go2 lap1 sing1 - that star)
3. Possession: [Possessor] + 粒 + [Noun]
Example: 我粒鈕 (ngo5 lap1 nau2 - my button)

Colloquial Time Measurement — 粒鐘 (lap1 zung1):
In spoken Cantonese, 粒 is also widely used as an informal classifier with 鐘 (zung1 - clock) to count hours:

  • 一粒鐘 (jat1 lap1 zung1) — one hour
  • 兩粒鐘 (loeng5 lap1 zung1) — two hours
  • 半粒鐘 (bun3 lap1 zung1) — half an hour

Key Nuances & Pitfalls:
• Cantonese vs. Mandarin: In Mandarin, small round things often take 顆 (kē). In spoken Cantonese, 顆 (fo2) sounds unnaturally literary or formal. In Cantonese speech, 粒 (lap1) is the normal choice.
• Size Restrictions: Unlike Minnan/Taiwanese Hokkien, where 粒 can be used for large round objects like watermelons, Cantonese 粒 (lap1) is strictly for small objects. Large round things take 個 (go3).
• Pronunciation Note: Modern Cantonese speakers overwhelmingly use the initial 'l-' sound (lap1), though formal dictionaries may list 'n-' (nap1).

Examples (4)

  1. 我食咗兩粒藥丸。

    I took two pills.

    Word by Word: I eat [past] two [classifier] pill.

    Uses 兩 (loeng5) + 粒 (lap1) with 藥丸 (joek6 jyun2) for counting pills.

  2. 佢食緊嗰粒糖好甜。

    The candy s/he is eating is very sweet.

    Word by Word: S/he eat [prog] that [classifier] candy very sweet.

    Combines demonstrative 嗰 (go2) with 粒 (lap1) to specify a single sweet.

  3. 天上有好多粒星。

    There are many stars in the sky.

    Word by Word: Sky on have very many [classifier] star.

    Stars (星 sing1) are small and distant points of light, taking the classifier 粒 (lap1) in Cantonese.

  4. 我粒鈕跌咗落嚟。

    My button fell off.

    Word by Word: My [classifier] button fall [past] down come.

    Possessor 我 (ngo5) directly precedes 粒 (lap1) to indicate ownership without needing 嘅 (ge3).

Common Mistakes

  • Using Mandarin literary classifier 顆 (fo2) in spoken Cantonese.

    Different Meaning天上有好多顆星。
    天上有好多粒星。

    In Standard Written Chinese or Mandarin, 顆 (kē) is common for stars, seeds, and teeth. In spoken Cantonese, 顆 (fo2) sounds overly stiff; 粒 (lap1) should be used instead.

  • Using 粒 (lap1) for large round objects like watermelons.

    我買咗一粒西瓜。
    我買咗一個西瓜。

    粒 (lap1) is for small round or grain-like things. A big fruit like a watermelon takes the general classifier 個 (go3).

How It Connects

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

粒Level 2Classifier for Small Round Things

Learn This First

To use the classifier 粒 (lap1), you first need to understand the general role of classifiers in Cantonese and the standard 'Number + Classifier + Noun' word order. It is also helpful to be familiar with the general classifier '個' to understand how specific classifiers provide more descriptive detail about the shape of an object.

Words in This Pattern

粒粒