dai6第
Jyutpingdai6
Yaledaih
Definition
Prefix placed before a number to form an ordinal number.
neutralnumbers
How it's used
Prefixing numbers with 第 is the standard way to create ordinal numbers in Cantonese. It functions exactly like the English suffix th or st, nd, rd. You will hear it used constantly when discussing rankings, dates, or sequences of events.
Examples
He is the first in the class.
Is this your first time coming to Hong Kong?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 第 when counting items, but it is only for order. To count items, simply use the number followed by the measure word, such as 三個蘋果 for three apples, rather than 第三個蘋果 which would mean the third apple.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
