陣

Classifier for Gusts and Spells

Level 3Sounds Like zan6

陣 (zan6) is used for things that come and go quickly, like a gust of wind, a sudden smell, or a short moment in time.

How It Works

陣 (zan6) is a versatile Level 3 classifier essential for natural Cantonese. Its usage falls into three main categories:

1. Natural Phenomena and Sensations
It is the standard classifier for things that occur in bursts or intermittent spells:

  • Weather: 一陣風 (jat1 zan6 fung1 - a gust of wind), 一陣雨 (jat1 zan6 jyu5 - a passing shower).
  • Sensory: 一陣味 (jat1 zan6 mei6 - a whiff of a smell), 一陣痛 (jat1 zan6 tung3 - a flash of pain).
  • Sounds: 一陣掌聲 (jat1 zan6 zoeng2 sing1 - a burst of applause).

2. Short Durations of Time
When used with 一 (jat1), it means 'a short while' or 'a moment'.

  • 等一陣 (dang2 jat1 zan6): Wait a moment.
  • 坐一陣 (co5 jat1 zan6): Sit for a while.

3. Adverbial 'Later' and Tone Change
In colloquial speech, when 一陣 means 'later' or 'in a moment', the tone of 陣 often changes from zan6 (low level) to zan2 (high-rising). This is a common tone change (bin3 diu6) for time words. For example: 一陣見 (jat1 zan2 gin3 - See you later).

4. Specific Times
Combined with 呢 (ni1 - this) or 嗰 (go2 - that), it refers to a specific period: 嗰陣 (go2 zan6 - at that time/back then).

Examples (5)

  1. 頭先有一陣風吹過，好舒服。

    A gust of wind blew past just now; it was very comfortable.

    Word by Word: Just now have one [burst] wind blow past, very comfortable.

    Here, 陣 (zan6) acts as a classifier for wind, emphasizing that it was a temporary gust.

  2. 我聞到一陣好香嘅味。

    I smell a very fragrant scent.

    Word by Word: I smell-arrive one [burst] very fragrant [possessive] smell.

    陣 (zan6) is used for smells (味 mei6) to indicate a whiff or a scent catching one's nose.

  3. 唔該等一陣，我一陣間返嚟。

    Please wait a moment; I'll be back in a little while.

    Word by Word: Please wait one moment, I one moment space return come.

    The first 一陣 (jat1 zan6) refers to a duration. The second 一陣間 (jat1 zan6 gaan1) refers to a point in the near future.

  4. 我嗰陣仲喺英國讀緊書。

    At that time, I was still studying in the UK.

    Word by Word: I that [time] still at England study [progressive] book.

    嗰陣 (go2 zan6) is a very common way to say 'at that time' or 'back then'.

  5. 一陣見啦！

    See you later!

    Word by Word: One moment see [particle]!

    In this context, 陣 is usually pronounced with a rising tone (zan2) to mean 'later'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the general classifier 個 (go3) for wind or smells.

    有一個風吹過。
    有一陣風吹過。

    While 個 (go3) is a general classifier, it sounds unnatural for transient phenomena like wind. 陣 (zan6) is the specific and correct choice.

  • Misplacing 'later' at the end of the sentence like in English.

    我見你一陣。
    我一陣見你。

    In Cantonese, time adverbs like 一陣 (jat1 zan2 - later) usually come before the verb, not at the end of the sentence.

  • Treating 陣 (zan6) and 場 (coeng4) as interchangeable for rain.

    Different Meaning落咗一陣大雨。
    落咗一場大雨。

    落咗一陣大雨 is a normal sentence: 陣 (zan6) is the usual classifier for a spell of rain, often a short one. 場 (coeng4) suits a whole rainstorm with a clear start and finish, as in 落咗一場大雨.

How It Connects

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

陣Level 3Classifier for Gusts and Spells

Learn This First

The pattern '陣' is a specific classifier used for brief durations, weather phenomena, or smells. To use it correctly, a learner must first understand the general concept of classifiers in Cantonese and the grammatical structure for counting nouns using numbers and classifiers.

Words in This Pattern

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