saam1 gau2 sei3 ling4 ng5 ji6三九四零五二

Jyutpingsaam1 gau2 sei3 ling4 ng5 ji6

Yalesāam gáu sei lìhng ńgh yih

Definition

A sequence of six numbers (3, 9, 4, 0, 5, 2) used to demonstrate the six main tones of Cantonese in order.

colloquialnumbers

How it's used

This sequence is a classic mnemonic used by Cantonese speakers to practice the six tones of the language. Each digit corresponds to a specific tone, starting from the high level tone down to the low level tone. It serves as a rhythmic drill for learners to internalize the pitch contours of the Cantonese sound system.

Examples

nei5你go3個mat6密maa5碼hai6係saam1三gau2九sei3四ling4零ng5五ji6二aa4呀？

Is your password 394052?

ngo5我gei3記dak1得keoi5佢din6電waa2話hai6係saam1三gau2九sei3四ling4零ng5五ji6二。

I remember his phone number is 394052.

Common phrases

duk6讀ceot1出saam1三gau2九sei3四ling4零ng5五ji6二

recite 394052

Common mistake

Learners often struggle to maintain the distinct pitch levels while saying these numbers in quick succession. Ensure the first digit is high and the final digit is low, rather than letting the pitch flatten out across the entire sequence.