54.1 Discounts
When expressing discounts in Cantonese, we indicate the percentage of the original price we need to pay after the deduction instead of the percentage deducted. For example, a 10% discount will be expressed as paying 90% of the original price, and a 20% discount will be expressed as paying 80% of the original price.
The classifier 折 zit3 means ‘10% of the original price’. To mean ‘10% off, 20 off, etc.’, we first work out the percentage of the original price (90%, 80%, etc.). Then, we put the tens place of the percentage of the original price before 折 zit3 (90%, 80%, etc.)
10% off → 90% of the original price
九折
gau2 zit3
(9 × 10% = 90%)
20% off → 80% of the original price
八折
baat3 zit3
(8 × 10% = 80%)
Note that 折 zit3 refer to 10% of the original price instead of 1% of the original price.
10% off → 90% of the original price
❌ 九十折
gau2 sap6 zit3
(90 × 10% = 900%, which will be a price increase!)
✔️ 九折
gau2 zit3
(9 × 10% = 90%)
20% off → 80% of the original price
❌ 八十折
baat3 sap6 zit3
(80 × 10% = 800%)
✔️ 八折
baat3 zit3
(8 × 10% = 80%)
If the ones digit of the percentage of the original price is not zero (95%, 88%, etc.)’, we add the digit before 折 zit3.
5% off → 95% of the original price
九五折
gau2 ng5 zit3
(9 × 10 % + 5% = 95%)
12% off → 88% of the original price
八八折
baat3 baat3 zit3
(8 × 10 % + 8 % = 8 8 %)
To mean ‘half price’, we can say 半價 bun3 gaa3 (literally ‘half + price’).