28.8 The Question Word 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) II (Container Classifiers)
In Grammar and Vocabulary 11.6, we learned that the question word 幾多 gei2 do1 is similar to how many or how much in English. We also learned that if the noun is countable, we often add a classifier between 幾多 gei2 do1 and the noun.
We can also put a container classifier (e.g., 碗 wun2 ‘bowl’) between 幾多 gei2 do1 and the noun. This is especially useful when the noun is uncountable (e.g., 飯 faan6 ‘rice’).
請問要幾多碗白飯嘅？
cing2 man6 jiu3 gei2 do1 wun2 baak6 faan6 ge2?
May I ask how many bowls of white rice you want?
When 幾多 gei2 do1 is followed by a classifier, 幾多 gei2 do1 can be contracted to 幾 gei2.
請問要幾碗白飯嘅？
cing2 man6 jiu3 gei2 wun2 baak6 faan6 ge2?
May I ask how many bowls of white rice you want?
We usually omit the noun if it is obvious in the context.
| A: | 請問要唔要白飯嘅？ cing2 man6 jiu3 m4 jiu3 baak6 faan6 ge2? May I ask if you want white rice? |
| B: | 要呀。 jiu3 aa3. Yes. |
| A: | 請問要幾多碗 cing2 man6 jiu3 gei2 do1 wun2 May I ask how many bowls you want? |
| B: | 要三碗吖唔該。 jiu3 saam1 wun2 aa1 m4 goi1. We want three bowls, please. |