42.8 The Question Word 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) III (Measurement Unit 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. In Grammar and Vocabulary 28.8, we learned that we can 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.
We can also put a measurement unit classifier (e.g., 斤 gan1 ‘catty’) between 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) and the noun. Again, this is especially useful when the noun is uncountable (e.g., 菜心 coi3 sam1 ‘choy sum’).
要幾多斤菜心呀？
jiu3 gei2 do1 gan1 coi3 sam1 aa3?
How many catties of choy sum [a type of vegetables] do you want?
When 幾多 gei2 do1 is followed by a classifier, 幾多 gei2 do1 can be contracted to 幾 gei2.
要幾斤菜心呀？
jiu3 gei2 gan1 coi3 sam1 aa3?
How many catties of choy sum do you want?
We usually omit the noun if it is obvious in the context.
| A: | 菜心幾多錢斤呀？ coi3 sam1 gei2 do1 cin2 gan1 aa3? How much is one catty of choy sum? |
| B: | 廿四蚊一斤，四呀六蚊兩斤，要幾多斤 jaa6 sei3 man1 jat1 gan1, sei3 aa6 luk6 man1 loeng5 gan1, jiu3 gei2 do1 gan1 $24 for one catty and $46 for two catties. How many catties do you want? |
| A: | 俾一斤我吖唔該。 bei2 jat1 gan1 ngo5 aa1 m4 goi1. Give one catty to me, please. |