28.1 Classifiers for Food and Drinks II (Drink Containers)

Audio is not available for this page yet.

Container Classifiers

We usually use container classifiers with nouns for drinks, especially for drinks that can be served in different containers. Container classifiers are a group of measure classifiers. They indicate the quantity of the drinks based on their containers (e.g., cup, bottle).

ClassifierMeaning / UseExample

bui1
cup

jat1 bui1 seoi2
a cup of water

zeon1
bottle
啤酒
jat1 zeon1 be1 zau2
a bottle of beer

zi1
bottle
啤酒
jat1 zi1 be1 zau2
a bottle of beer

gun3
can
汽水
jat1 gun3 hei3 seoi2
a can of soft drink

hap6
carton (usually for house-shaped cartons, or for larger cartons)

jat1 hap6 naai5
a carton of milk

baau1
carton (usually for smaller cartons with the size and shape of a juice box)
檸檬茶
jat1 baau1 ning4 mung1 caa4
a carton of lemon tea

wu4
pot (teapot)

jat1 wu4 caa4
a pot of tea

Other Classifiers

We sometimes use the classifier 個 go3 when referring to drinks that are prepared inside a restaurant or shop (e.g., drinks in cha chaan teng or bubble tea shops).

紅豆冰
jat1 go3 hung4 dau2 bing1
a red bean ice
珍珠奶茶
jat1 go3 zan1 zyu1 naai5 caa4
a bubble tea

For a large number of cans, we can use the classifier 打 daa1 (‘dozen’). 一打 jat1 daa1 (‘one dozen’) equals to 12 and 半打 bun3 daa1 (‘half a dozen’) equals to 6.

啤酒
jat1 daa1 be1 zau2
one dozen cans of beer
啤酒
bun3 daa1 be1 zau2
half a dozen cans of beer

Made with in Hong Kong.

© 2026 Open Cantonese. All rights reserved.