hou6 sou3號數号数
Jyutpinghou6 sou3
Yalehouh sou
Definition
A number used to indicate sequence or order, such as a serial number or house number.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to an assigned identification number or a sequence marker rather than a quantity or count. While often used for house or room numbers, it sounds unnatural when referring to a simple count of items, where just using the number itself or 數量 is preferred.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Do you know what the number of this house is?
The number for this drawer is written on the side.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean a quantity of items, such as the number of people in a room. Use 數量 for counts and 號數 strictly for labels or identifiers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
