saam1三

Jyutpingsaam1

Yalesāam

數詞Very common

Definition

Three; the number 3.

ngo5我jau5有saam1三go3個pang4朋jau5友。

ngo5我jau5有saam1三go3个pang4朋jau5友。

I have three friends.

neutralnumbers

How it's used

Cantonese speakers often use the number three in idiomatic expressions to represent a small, indefinite quantity or a sense of repetition. When counting, the pronunciation changes slightly depending on the following classifier or noun due to tone sandhi rules. It is essential to always pair this with a classifier when referring to specific objects, as using the number alone sounds incomplete.

Examples

ngo5我uk1屋kei2企jau5有saam1三go3個jan4人。

There are three people in my family.

nei5你maai5買zo2咗saam1三hap6盒dim2點sam1心mei6未aa4呀？

Have you bought the three boxes of dim sum yet?

Related words

see alsosaam1 man4 zi6三文治sām mành jih

Common phrases

saam1三go3個jan4人

three people

saam1三dim2點zung1鐘

three o'clock

Common mistake

Learners often forget to include a classifier after the number, which is grammatically incorrect in Cantonese. Always remember to insert the appropriate measure word between the number and the noun.