Are there more special numerals like 廿?

Question

In Hong Kong herbal tea shops, you will see a tea called "廿四味" (24 flavours)

(you will also hear "廿蚊" to mean "20 dollars" in small shops)

In this case 廿 (niàn or pán) has the meaning "20".

Are there any other chinese numerals that represent unusual numbers?

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 29 '12 at 22:56

4

This is not only in Cantonese. People in several south provinces say these words. And most Chinese are familiar with 廿 (niàn or pán) and 卅, even though they don't usually say it.

卅 (sà) means 30
卌 (xì) means 40
皕 (bì) means 200

edited Oct 29 '12 at 22:56

going

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answered Oct 29 '12 at 09:52

halfelf

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cool. I like 皕. 百＋百 joined into one character. Can you do the same with 萬＋萬? – Matthew Rudy 马泰 Oct 29 '12 at 09:55
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No, there is only 皕, though I agree it's cool to combine two 萬. And be careful to use 皕 and 卌. I guess 99% native speakers have no idea about it. – halfelf Oct 29 '12 at 10:00
廿 is also commonly used in the Shanghai dialect. Just thought I'd put it out there, e.g., 廿四路 (Bus route 24). – deutschZuid Oct 30 '12 at 05:36
How is 廿 pronounced in Shanghainese? – jogloran Nov 01 '12 at 05:49
@jogloran niàn. Since my mother is from Shanghai, I know a little Shanghainese. – halfelf Nov 01 '12 at 06:07

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 29 '12 at 10:47

halfelf's answer is correct, but I'll say a little more about how they're used in Cantonese, since the behaviour of these abbreviations is a little unusual there.

廿 jaa6 indeed abbreviates 二十 ji6 sap6. Similarly, 卅 abbreviates 三十 saam1 sap6. But 卅 is pronounced saa1aa6, an unusual tone contour.

Abbreviations for numbers 40 and above are formed regularly: sei3aa6, ng5aa6 and so on.

Are there more special numerals like 廿?

2 Answers2

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