X成

Tenths and Percentages

Level 4Sounds Like sing4

X成 (sing4) is the standard way to express percentages in multiples of ten (10%, 20%, etc.) and degrees of certainty in spoken Cantonese.

How It Works

In Cantonese, while the formal term for percent is 百分之 (baak3 fan6 zi1), everyday speech relies on 成 (sing4).

1. Basic Proportions:

  • 一成 (jat1 sing4) = 10%
  • 兩成 (loeng5 sing4) = 20% (Note: use loeng5 for 20%)
  • 五成 (ng5 sing4) = 50% / half
  • 十成 (sap6 sing4) = 100%

2. Precise Percentages:
You can add decimals or halves to be more specific:

  • X成半 (bun3): Adds 5%. E.g., 三成半 (saam1 sing4 bun3) is 35%.
  • X成Y: Expresses specific digits. E.g., 一成三 (jat1 sing4 saam1) is 13%; 九成九 (gau2 sing4 gau2) is 99%.

3. Probability and Certainty:
This pattern is the most natural way to express confidence. Saying 'I have nine-tenths confidence' (九成把握 gau2 sing4 baa2 ak1) means you are 90% sure. The phrase 十成十 (sap6 sing4 sap6) is an idiom for '100% certain.'

4. Practical Applications:

  • Food: Used for steak doneness. 七成熟 (cat1 sing4 suk6) is medium-well (70% cooked).
  • Discounts: Used to describe the amount taken off. 減兩成 (gaam2 loeng5 sing4) means 20% off.

Examples (5)

  1. 呢件衫減價，平咗兩成。

    This shirt is on sale; it's 20% cheaper.

    Word by Word: This piece shirt reduce price, cheap [perfective] two tenths.

    Here, 兩成 (loeng5 sing4) represents the 20% discount amount.

  2. 我個牛扒要七成熟。

    I want my steak medium-well.

    Word by Word: I [classifier] steak want seven tenths cooked.

    In Cantonese, steak doneness is measured in tenths. 70% cooked is roughly medium-well.

  3. 佢今次十成十會贏。

    He is 100% (certainly) going to win this time.

    Word by Word: He this time ten tenths ten will win.

    十成十 (sap6 sing4 sap6) is a common idiomatic way to express absolute certainty.

  4. 單工程做咗幾成呀？

    What percentage of the project is done?

    Word by Word: [classifier] project do [perfective] how-many tenths [question]?

    幾成 (gei2 sing4) is the standard way to ask 'what percentage' or 'how much' of a task is complete.

  5. 我有九成九把握佢會嚟。

    I am 99% sure he will come.

    Word by Word: I have nine tenths nine confidence he will come.

    九成九 (gau2 sing4 gau2) is used to mean 'almost certainly' or 99%.

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing the pronunciation of 'tenth' (sing4) with 'whole' (seng4).

    呢度有五成 (ng5 seng4) 人係學生。
    呢度有五成 (ng5 sing4) 人係學生。

    The character 成 has two pronunciations. Use sing4 (Tone 4) for tenths/percentages. Use seng4 (Tone 4) only when meaning 'whole' or 'entire' (e.g., 成日 seng4 jat6 - the whole day).

  • Using 'ji6' instead of 'loeng5' for 20%.

    二成 (ji6 sing4)
    兩成 (loeng5 sing4)

    When counting 'two' of something (including tenths), Cantonese speakers almost always use 兩 (loeng5) instead of 二 (ji6).

  • Using 減七成 when you mean you pay 70% of the price.

    Different Meaning減七成 (gaam2 cat1 sing4)
    打七折 (daa2 cat1 zit3)

    減七成 is a good phrase, but it means 70% off, so you pay 30%. 打七折 (daa2 cat1 zit3) means you pay 70% of the price. In 減X成, X成 is the part taken off (30% off is 減三成). In 打X折, X折 is the part you pay.

How It Connects

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

X成Level 4Tenths and Percentages

Learn This First

To understand 'X成', learners need to know basic Cantonese numbers and the grammatical structure where certain units (like tenths or percentages) follow numbers directly without the need for an additional classifier.

Words in This Pattern