Hokkien numerals

Sorji (數字 Hokkien numerals; numbers in Taiwanese) come in two different sets:

• colloquial (peh): used the most
• literary (buun): mostly for telephone numbers and dates

In normal speech, a mix of both types is used. Let's start with colloquial.

Colloquial numbers

cit, nng, svaf, six, go, lak, chid, peq, kao, zap

Cardinal numbers

To count "how many", "cardinal numbers" are used. Use the colloquial system (cit, nng, svaf) together with a classifier (the classifier will change tone when spoken). For example, from Cidboea Hii:

cidboea hii, nngxciaq kef, svazaang chiuar, ...

a tail of fish, a pair of chickens, three trees, ...

Zap is 10. From 11, use id and ji, instead of cit & nng, in the ones place. For example:

zab'id-boea (11-boea), zabji-ciaq (12-ciaq), zabsvaf-zaang (13-zaang), ...

Jixzap is 20.

jixzab'id-boea (21-boea), jixzabji-ciaq (22-ciaq), ...

Paq is 100. Count how many hundred with cit, nng, svaf. Khoxng (空^† zero) is for the blank tens place:

cidpaq-ee (100-ee), cidpah'khorng'id-boea (101-boea), cidpah'khorng'ji-ciaq (102-ciaq), ...

There are shortcuts when the ones place is blank:

pah'id-ee (110-ee), cidpah'zab'id-boea (111-boea), ...,

pahji-ee (120-ee), cidpah'jixzab'id-boea (121-boea)

As we said, the next hundreds place is counted with nng.

nngxpaq-ee (200-ee), nngxpah'id-ee (210-ee), nngxpah'ji-ee (220-ee)

Above 200, there's a shortcut using ar as a "weak form" of "hundred" (paq -> aq -> ar):

jixafid-ee (210-ee), jixafji-ee (220-ee), ...

goxafid-ee (510-ee), goxafji-ee (520-ee), ...

Zhefng is 1000:

cidzhefng (1000), zheng'id / cidzheng'id (1100), nngxchiefn (2000)

1,000, 1,100, 2,000

Ban is 10000:

cidban (1,0000), cidbaxn'id (1,1000), ..., nngxban (2,0000), ...

10,000, 11,000, ..., 20,000

Pahban (100,0000) is 1,000,000.

Ordinal numbers

For ordinal numbers, when the numerals are preceded by the prefix te:

texid, texji, texsvaf, texsix, texgo, ...

first, second, third, ...

Literary numbers

literary: id, ji, safm, sux, gvor, liok, chid, pad, kiuo, sip

	1	2	3 / 三	4 / 四	5 / 五	6 / 六	7 / 七	8 / 八	9 / 九	10 / 十
Peh	cit (蜀)	nng (兩)	svaf	six	go	lak	chid	pøeq	kao	zap
Buun	id (一)	ji (二)	safm	sux	gvor	liok		pad	kiuo	sip

Telephone digits

telephone number: 3945068

Telephone digits are read using the literary system, with 0 read as khoxng. The digits are grouped according to certain rules and tone sandhi is applied. For example, 3945068 is read: 394, 50, 68 (samkiwsux, gvofkhoxng, liogpad; safm-kiuo-sux, gvor-khoxng, liok-pad; see Khax Tiexn'oe).

Date

The year is also read using the literary system. For example: 1998 is read: 19, 98-nii (itkiuo, kiwpatnii; see Jidkix Cidphvy).

References

• Oong Iogteg (1972-3). Taioaan-oe Jibmngg (MLT-parn) Liim Keahioong hoan'ek (2000).