| Numerals | |
| Hanji: | 數字 |
| Poj: | Sò͘-lī / Sò͘-jī |
| Tl: | Sòo-lī / Sòo-jī |
The Hokkien language (incl. Taiwanese) has two regularly used sets of numerals, a more ancient colloquial/vernacular or native Hokkien system and a literary system.
The more ancient vernacular numerals are the native numbers of Hokkien that trace back to Hokkien's origins itself, which is a Coastal Min language that spread southwest across the coast of Fujian from around the Min River. It was brought by the earliest Min-speaking Han Chinese settlers from the time of the Jin dynasty (266–420) settling the area around the Jin River around 284 AD.[1] Meanwhile, the literary system came from Tang-era Classical Chinese/Middle Chinese that was loaned in for formal reading use during medieval times[2] (e.g. Tang, Min, Southern Tang, Song dynasty times), similar to the Sino-Xenic pronunciations in Japanese, Okinawan, Korean, Jeju, Vietnamese, etc, but within the Sinitic family to the Min group.
Literary and colloquial systems are not totally mutually independent; they are sometimes mixed used. The specific pronunciation of each number depends on the specific dialect of Hokkien (e.g. Amoy-Tong'an, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Longyan, etc.), which each dialect may either share or use slightly different phonemes and tones on how each dialect may properly count numbers in the Hokkien language for both vernacular and literary systems.
| --border=1 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=1--> | Number | Literary system | Colloquial or vernacular system | Notes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hàn-jī / Hàn-lī | Amoy / Xiamen (POJ / TL) | Quanzhou (POJ / TL) | Zhangzhou (POJ / TL) | Longyan (POJ / TL) | Hàn-jī / Hàn-lī | Amoy / Xiamen (POJ / TL) | Quanzhou (POJ / TL) | Zhangzhou (POJ / TL) | Longyan (POJ / TL) | |||
| 0 | 零 / 〇 | ? | 空 / 〇 | ? | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[liɪŋ²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[liɪŋ²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[liɪŋ¹³]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[kʰɔŋ²¹]/ | pronounced as /[kʰɔŋ⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[kʰɔŋ²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 1 | 一 | 蜀[3] / 一 | (一) as in pronounced as /[et̚⁴]/ and (蜀) as in pronounced as /[t͡set̚²³]/ are used in the Hui'an dialect | |||||||||
| pronounced as /[it̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[it̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[it̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[it̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sit̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sit̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sit̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sit̚³²]/ | |||||
| 2 | 二 | 兩 | ? | (二) is also used in the Taichung dialect in Taiwan | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[li²²]/ | pronounced as /[li⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[d͡zi²²]/ | pronounced as /[li³³⁴]/ | pronounced as /[nŋ̍²²]/ | pronounced as /[nŋ̍²²]/ | pronounced as /[nɔ̃²²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 3 | 三 | ? | 三 | ? | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[sam⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sam³³]/ | pronounced as /[sam⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[sã⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sã³³]/ | pronounced as /[sã⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 4 | 四 | 四 | (四) as in pronounced as /[si⁴¹]/ is also used literarily in the Jinjiang dialect and Philippine Hokkien | |||||||||
| pronounced as /[su²¹]/ | pronounced as /[sɯ⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[su²¹]/ | pronounced as /[sz̩²¹³]/ | pronounced as /[si²¹]/ | pronounced as /[si⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[si²¹]/ | pronounced as /[si²¹³]/ | |||||
| 5 | 五 | 五 | ||||||||||
| pronounced as /[ŋɔ̃⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[ɡɔ⁵⁵⁴]/ | pronounced as /[ŋɔ̃⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[ɡu²¹]/ | pronounced as /[ɡɔ²²]/ | pronounced as /[ɡɔ²²]/ | pronounced as /[ɡɔ²²]/ | pronounced as /[ŋ̍⁵³]/ | |||||
| 6 | 六 | ? | 六 | ? | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[liɔk̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[liɔk̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[liɔk̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[lak̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[lak̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[lak̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 7 | 七 | 七 |
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| pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚³²]/ |
| pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰit̚⁵]/ | |||||
| 8 | 八 | 八 | ||||||||||
| pronounced as /[pat̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[pat̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[pat̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[pat̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[pueʔ³²]/ | pronounced as /[pueʔ⁵]/ | pronounced as /[peʔ³²]/ | pronounced as /[pie⁵⁵]/ | |||||
| 9 | 九 | ? | 九 | ? | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[kiu⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[kiu⁵⁵⁴]/ | pronounced as /[kiu⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[kau⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[kau⁵⁵⁴]/ | pronounced as /[kau⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 10 | 十 | ? | 十 | ? | (十) as in pronounced as /[sep̚²³]/ is used in the Hui'an dialect | |||||||
| pronounced as /[sip̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sip̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sip̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sap̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sap̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sap̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 廿 | ? |
| ||||
| - | - | - | - | pronounced as /[liap̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[liap̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[d͡ziap̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 30 | - | - | - | - | - | 卅 | ? | The univerbation of (三十) | ||||
| - | - | - | - | pronounced as /[sap̚⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sap̚²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[sap̚¹²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 40 | - | - | - | - | - | 卌 | ? | The univerbation of (四十) | ||||
| - | - | - | - | pronounced as /[siap̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[siap̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[siap̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 100 | 百 | ? | 百 | ? | ||||||||
| pronounced as /[piɪk̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[piak̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[piɪk̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[paʔ³²]/ | pronounced as /[paʔ⁵]/ | pronounced as /[pɛʔ³²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 1,000 | 千 | ? | 千 | ? | (千) as in pronounced as /[t͡sʰɛŋ⁵⁵]/ is used in the Chawan dialect | |||||||
| pronounced as /[t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰiɛn³³]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ |
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| pronounced as /[?]/ | |||||
| 104 | 萬 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | (十千) is used in Penang, Southern Peninsular Malaysian, and Singaporean Hokkien, together with (萬) | ||||
| pronounced as /[ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[ban⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 105 | 十萬 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | (百千) as in pronounced as /[paʔ⁵ t͡sʰiɪŋ³³]/ is used in Philippine Hokkien, instead of (十萬) | ||||
| pronounced as /[t͡sap̚⁴⁻³² ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sap̚²⁴⁻² ban⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sap̚¹²¹⁻²¹ ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 106 | 百萬 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | (桶) as in pronounced as /[tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ and (面桶) as in pronounced as /[bin²² tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ are used in Philippine Hokkien, instead of (百萬) | ||||
| pronounced as /[pa(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[pa(ʔ)⁵ ban⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[pa(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ ban²²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 107 | 千萬 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | (十桶) as in pronounced as /[t͡sap̚² tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ and (十面桶) as in pronounced as /[t͡sap̚² bin²² tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ are used in Philippine Hokkien, instead of (千萬) | ||||
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| pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 108 | 億 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | (百桶) as in pronounced as /[paʔ⁵ tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ and (百面桶) as in pronounced as /[paʔ⁵ bin²² tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁴]/ are used in Philippine Hokkien, instead or along with (億) | ||||
| pronounced as /[iɪk̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[iak̚⁵]/ | pronounced as /[iɪk̚³²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1012 | 兆 | ? | - | - | - | - | - |
From now on, see Chinese numerals | ||||
| pronounced as /[tiau²²]/ | pronounced as /[tiau²²]/ | pronounced as /[tiau²²]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1016 | 京 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| pronounced as /[kiɪŋ⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[kiɪŋ³³]/ | pronounced as /[kiɪŋ⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1020 | 垓 | ? | ? | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| pronounced as /[kai⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1024 | 秭 | ? | ? | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| pronounced as /[t͡si⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1028 | 穰 | ? | ? | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| pronounced as /[d͡ziɔŋ²⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1032 | 溝 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| pronounced as /[kɔ⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[kio³³]/ | pronounced as /[kɔ⁴⁴]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1036 | 澗 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| pronounced as /[kan²¹]/ | pronounced as /[kan⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[kan²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1040 | 正 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| pronounced as /[t͡siɪŋ²¹]/ | pronounced as /[t͡siɪŋ⁴¹]/ | pronounced as /[t͡siɪŋ²¹]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1044 | 載 | ? | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| pronounced as /[t͡sãi⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sãi⁵⁵⁴]/ | pronounced as /[t͡sãi⁵³]/ | pronounced as /[?]/ | - | - | - | - | |||||
For cardinal numbers usage, the colloquial system is usually used. For example, one should use chi̍t ê lâng for the meaning of "a person" instead of using *it ê lâng. However, a notable exceptions for numerals 1 and 2 appears while the number is greater than 10.
| Situation \ Numeral | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lêng | it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| khòng | chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p | |
| lêng | it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| khòng | chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p |
| n-pah-it | n-pah-lī / jī | n-pah-saⁿ | n-pah-sì | n-pah-gō͘ / gǒ͘ | n-pah-la̍k | n-pah-chhit | n-pah-poeh / peh | n-pah-káu | ||
| 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 | 600 | 700 | 800 | 900 | ||
| n-chheng-it | n-chheng-lī / jī | n-chheng-saⁿ | n-chheng-sì | n-chheng-gō͘ / gǒ͘ | n-chheng-la̍k | n-chheng-chhit | n-chheng-poeh / peh | n-chheng-káu |
For expressing fractions, one should use the sentence pattern like "cardinal number + hun-chi + cardinal number"; for example, gō͘ hun-chi it (五分之一) for "one fifth" (1/5). Note that the colloquial set of numerals is used in fractional numerals with still the exception of numerals 1 and 2, which should use the literary set as it and jī.
For expressing decimals, one should only use the literary numeral set with tiám (點) for the decimal mark. For example, one may say π equals sam tiám it-sù-it-ngó͘-kiú-jī-lio̍k-ngó͘-sam (3.141592653).
In addition, some special fraction can be expressed in other simpler forms. For percentage, one can still use the sentence pattern of hun-chi as pah hun-chi cha̍p (百分之十) for "ten percent" in most situations; however, for native speakers, the suffix -siâⁿ (成) for "n×10 percents" is used more commonly, so the "twenty percents" should be nn̄g-siâⁿ (兩成). Note that the numeral set used with the suffix -siâⁿ is totally the colloquial one with no exception.
In Taiwan, the term pha-sian-to͘ is also used for fractional numerals, but one should use the sentence term as "cardinal number + ê pha-sian-to͘"; for example, chhit-cha̍p ê pha-sian-to͘ (70%). The term was introduced in Japanese rule era from Japanese language; it's a Japanese loanword originating from English with the meaning of "percent" (paasento; パーセント). The use of pha-sian-to͘ is sometimes simplified as a suffix -pha; for example, cha̍p-peh-pha (18%).
For ordinal numbers, when the numerals are preceded by the prefix tē (第), the colloquial set is used with the exception of numeral 1 and 2; when the numerals are preceded by the prefix thâu (頭), there is no exception to use the colloquial set when the number is smaller than 10, but once the number is greater than 10, the exception of numeral 1 and 2 appears again. Note that the system with prefix thâu is usually added by counter words, and it means "the first few"; for example, thâu-gō͘ pái means "the first five times". Thâu-chhit (number seven) sometimes means thâu-chhit kang (first seven days). It means the first seven days after a person died, which is a Hokkien cultural noun that should usually be avoided.
| Prefix \ Numeral | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p | |
| it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p |
| Prefix \ Numeral | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | n×10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p | |
| it / et | jī / lī / gī | sam | sù / sìr / sì | ngó͘ / gó͘ / gú | lio̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | pat | kiú | si̍p / se̍p | |
| chi̍t / che̍t | nn̄g / nňg / nō͘ | saⁿ | sì | gō͘ / gǒ͘ / ňg | la̍k | chhit / chhet / sit / chhiak | poeh / peh / piē | káu | cha̍p |