jat1 wun2一碗
Jyutpingjat1 wun2
Yaleyāt wún
Definition
A bowl of; one bowl of something.
colloquialfooddim sum
How it's used
This measure word is strictly used for liquid or semi liquid foods served in a bowl, such as noodles, rice, or soup. It implies a standard serving size rather than a literal measurement of the container itself. When ordering in a restaurant, you can often omit the noun if the context is clear, simply saying one bowl please.
Examples
I want to eat a bowl of piping hot wonton noodles.
Common mistake
Do not use this for items served on a plate or in a cup, as Cantonese has specific measure words for those containers like 碟 or 杯. Using it for solid food that is not served in a bowl will sound unnatural.
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.
