22.2 The Question Word 幾多點 gei2 do1 dim2 / 幾點 gei2 dim2 (‘what time’)

The question word 幾多點 gei2 do1 dim2 is similar to what time in English. We form 幾多點 gei2 do1 dim2 by combining 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) and the classifier 點 dim2 (‘o’clock’). We use 幾多點 gei2 do1 dim2 to form a question that elicits the time in hours and minutes as the answer.

We can also combine 幾多 gei2 do1 with the classifier 點鐘 dim2 zung1 (‘o’clock’) to form 幾多點鐘 gei2 do1 dim2 zung1, which means ‘what time’ as well.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 11.6, we learned that when 幾多 gei2 do1 is followed by a classifier, 幾多 gei2 do1 can be contracted to 幾 gei2. Since 點 dim2 and 點鐘 dim2 zung1 are classifiers, we can contract 幾多 gei2 do1 to 幾 gei2 and say 幾點 gei2 dim2 and 幾點鐘 gei2 dim2 zung1.

Therefore, there are four different forms: