loeng5両
Jyutpingloeng5
Yaleléuhng
Definition
Tael; a traditional East Asian unit of weight.
colloquialfoodnumbers
How it's used
Traditional markets in Hong Kong still rely heavily on this unit for selling meat, herbs, and gold. Remember that the conversion rate is sixteen taels to one catty, which differs from the decimal system used in mainland China where one catty equals ten taels.
Examples
Boss, I want to buy five taels of lean meat.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the Hong Kong tael with the mainland Chinese unit, as the former is approximately 37.8 grams while the latter is standardized at 50 grams.
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.
