Comparisons, degrees and quantity
Specific constructions, i.e. the arrangement of words of words and grammatical units, are required to compare two or more things, or state that they are equal to each other, or to state that one of them is the most or least in some respect. In addition, there are numerous adjectives and adverbs available to express degrees and quantities in Teochew.
Contents
- Comparative constructions
- Equality constructions
- Superlative constructions
- Adverbs and adjectives of degree and quantity
- References and further reading
Comparative constructions
There are several ways to compare two nouns or noun-phrases with or without an adjective.
guê3 • 過
Guê3 is used as a suffix to an adjective. The construction is:
NOUN1 ADJ guê3 NOUN2
ua⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ ho³⁵tsiaʔ²kue⁵⁵ lɯ⁵³kai⁵⁵
Ua2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 ho2(6)ziah8(4)-guê3(5) le2-gai5.
我個 芋泥 好食 過 汝個。
I-GEN yam-paste tasty-more you-GEN.
My yam paste tastes better than yours. 1
bi2 • 比 + ga3 • 較
This comparative is similar to the comparative in Mandarin, and may be influenced by Mandarin or written Chinese. In this construction, the adjective comes after the second noun:
NOUN1 pi2 NOUN2 [ga3] ADJ
ua⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ pi³⁵ lɯ⁵³kai¹¹ (ka⁵³) ho³⁵tsiaʔ⁵
Ua2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 bi2(6) le2-gai5(7) (ga3(2)) ho2(6)ziah8.
我個 芋泥 比 汝個 (較) 好食。
I-GEN yam-paste compare you-GEN (more) tasty.
My yam paste, when compared to yours, tastes better.
Ga3 is optional, and comes before the adjective. Ga3 can also be used by itself, see below.
ru2 • 愈, gêng3 • 敬, and ru2(6)gêng3 • 愈敬
Unlike the preceding, these are used in apposition:
NOUN1 ADJ; NOUN2 ru2(6)gêng3 ADJ
lɯ⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ ho³⁵tsiaʔ⁵ / ua⁵³kai¹¹ zu³⁵(keŋ⁵³) ho³⁵tsiaʔ⁵.
Le2gai5(7) ou7ni5 ho2(6)ziah8; ua2gai5(7) ru2(6)(gêng3(2)) ho2(6)ziah8.
汝個 芋泥 好食；我個 愈（敬） 好食。
You-GEN yam-paste tasty; I-GEN more-(even) tasty.
Your yam paste is tasty; my yam paste is even tastier.
In this example, the second part omits ou7ni5 “yam paste” because it is implied.
If the topic being compared is understood, e.g. from context or non-verbal cues, it can be omitted. For example, if someone has just heard another person sing the praises of his competitor’s yam paste, he might say indignantly:
ua⁵³kai¹¹ zu³⁵keŋ⁵³ ho⁵³
Ua2-gai5(7) ru2(6)gêng3(2) ho2!
我個 愈敬 好！
I-GEN even-more good!
Mine is even better!
iou6 • 夭 and ga3 • 較
Like ru2, these can also be used in apposition, or with a single noun where the other thing it is being compared with is understood from the context.
[NOUN1 ADJ]; NOUN2 iou6 ADJ
i³³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ iou³⁵ tiam⁵⁵
I1-gai5(7) ou7ni5 iou6 diam5.
伊個 芋泥 夭 甜。
He-GEN yam-paste more sweet.
His yam paste is sweeter.
***
i³³ tsɯ⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ ka⁵³ ho³⁵tsiaʔ⁵
I1 ze2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 ga3(2) ho2(6)ziah8.
伊 煮個 芋泥 較 好食。
He cook-REL yam-paste more tasty.
The yam paste that he cooks is tastier.
ian5 • 贏 and su1 • 輸
Ian5 and su1 are unlike the preceding because they do not require an adjective.
NOUN1 ian5 NOUN2
-or-
NOUN2 su1 NOUN1
ua⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ ĩã¹¹ lɯ⁵³kai⁵⁵
Ua2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 ian5(7) le2-gai5(7).
我個 芋泥 贏 你個。
I-GEN yam-paste win you-GEN.
My yam paste is better than yours.
***
lɯ⁵³ tsɯ³⁵tsiaʔ⁵ su³³ ua⁵³
Le2 ze2(6)ziah8 su1 ua2.
汝 煮食 輸 我。
You cooking lose I.
Your cooking is inferior to mine.
Ian5 can also be suffixed with guê3, but su1 cannot.
ua⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ ĩã¹¹kue⁵⁵ lɯ⁵³kai¹¹
Ua2-gai7 ou7ni5 ian5(7)guê3(5) le2-gai7.
我個 芋泥 贏過 汝個。
I-GEN yam-paste win-over you-GEN.
My yam paste is better than yours.
This construction is also capable of emphatic brevity:
ua⁵³ ĩã⁵⁵ lɯ⁵²; lɯ⁵² su³³ ua²¹³
Ua2 ian5 le3; le2 su1 ua3.
我 贏 汝；汝 輸 我。
I win you; you lose me.
Equality constructions
gah8 • 佮 + bên5(7)iên7 • 平樣
This is used to compare two noun phrases:
NOUN1 gah8 NOUN2 bên5(7)iên7
lɯ⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ koʔ⁸ loʔ² tɯ³³iu⁵⁵ tsiu¹¹ kahʔ⁵³ ua⁵³kai¹¹ pẽ¹¹ĩẽ¹¹
Le2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 goh4(8) loh8(4) de1iu5 ziu6(7) gah8(4) ua2-gai5(7) pên5(7)iên7.
汝個 芋泥 閣 落 豬油 就 佮 我個 平樣。
You-GEN yam-paste again add lard then with I-GEN same.
If you add more lard to your yam paste, it will be like mine.
***
i³³ eŋ¹¹ kai¹¹ to³³ kaʔ² ua⁵³kai¹¹ pẽ¹¹ĩẽ¹¹
I1-êng7-gai5(7) do1 gah8(4) ua2-gai5(7) bên5(7)iên7.
伊用個 刀 佮 我個 平樣。
He-use-ATTR knife with I-GEN same.
The knife that he uses is just like mine.
Superlative constructions
zing1 • 真 “very” + ADJ
lɯ⁵³ tso¹¹kai¹¹ ku³⁵tsʰai⁵³kue⁵³ ia¹¹si¹¹ tsiŋ³³ho⁵³
Le2 zo6(7)-gai7 gu2(6)cai3(2)guê2 ia7-si7 zing1ho2.
汝 做個 韭菜粿 亦是 真好。
You make-REL garlic-chives-pastry also-is very-good.
Your garlic chives kuih are also very good.
hoh4 • 酷 “very” + ADJ
ua⁵³ hoʔ⁸ku⁵³ bo¹¹ tsiaʔ²tieʔ² tsie⁵³sẽ³³ pʰaŋ³³ kai¹¹ ku³⁵tsʰai⁵³kue⁵³
Ua2 hoh4(8)-gu2 bho5(7) ziah8(4)diêh4 ziê3(2)sên1 pang1 gai5(7) gu2(6)cai3(2)guê2.
我 酷久 無 食着 照生 香 個 韭菜粿。
I very-long NEG eat this-extent fragrant REL garlic-chives-pastry.
I haven’t had such delicious garlic chives kuih for a very long time.
siang6 • 上 + ADJ and siang6(7)dêng2 • 上頂 + ADJ
“Best” or “very best”.
Siang6 is the literary pronunciation, vs. the vernacular pronunciation ziên7 used in expressions like mung2(6)ziên7 晚上 “night”.
ua⁵³ to¹¹ tou¹¹paŋ⁵⁵ kai¹¹ kaŋ³³hu³³ siaŋ¹¹ ho⁵³
Ua2 do6(7) dou5(7)bang5 gai5(7) gang1hu1 siang6(7) ho2.
我 在 廚房 個 工夫 上 好。
I-in-kitchen-GEN skill most good.
My skill in the kitchen is the best.
ADJ + si2 • 死 and derivatives
Unlike the preceding superlatives, si2 死 follows the adjective. Si2 死 literally means “death”, so the figurative meaning here would be along the lines of “so superlative it knocks you dead”.
lɯ⁵³kai¹¹ ku³⁵tsʰai⁵³kue⁵³ ho³⁵tsiaʔ⁵ si⁵³
Le2-gai5(7) gu2(6)cai3(2)guê2 ho2(6)ziah8-si2!
汝個 韭菜粿 好食死！
You-GEN garlic-chives-pastry delicious-extreme!
Your garlic chives kuih are to die for!
An alternative is
ADJ kau⁵³ ai⁵³si⁵³ – ADJ gao3(2) ai3(2)si2 – ADJ 到 愛死
ADJ + zoh8 • 絕
Zoh8 follows the adjective, in the same manner as si2.
tsi³⁵tsʰoʔ²mueʔ² tsʰu⁵³bi¹¹ tsoʔ⁵
Zi2(6)coh8(4)muêh8(4) cu3(2)bhi7-zoh8!
只撮物 趣味 絕！
These-things amusing much!
These things are very amusing!
It can also be combined with gao3(2)si2:
tsiʔ³⁵tsʰoʔ⁵ ku³⁵tsʰai⁵³kue⁵³ pʰaŋ³³ kau⁵³ si³⁵tsoʔ⁵
Zi2(6)coh4(8) gu2(6)cai3(2)guê2 pang1 gao3(2) si2(6)coh8!
只撮 韭菜粿 香 到 死絕！
These garlic-chives-pastry fragrant until death-much!
These garlic chives kuih are extremely fragrant!
Adverbs and adjectives of degree and quantity
“Only”
dian7/nian7 • 爾
The character 爾 has Teochew literary pronunciation re2 (Mandarin ěr), and is probably not etymologically the same word as dian7, but is used here for its semantic value, as it has this meaning in literary Chinese. Nian7 is the Hokkien pronunciation; dian7 is attested in Lim (1886). It can also be reduplicated, i.e. dian7dian7. Dian7 is a particle that comes at the end of a clause or sentence.
ua⁵³ tsɯ³⁵ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ u¹¹ loʔ² pũã⁵³pue³³ tsui⁵³ tĩã¹¹
Ua2 ze2(6) ou7ni5 u6(7)-loh8(4) buan3(2)buê1 zui2 dian7.
我 煮 芋泥 有落 半杯 水 爾。
I cook yam-paste PERF-add half-cup water only.
I only added half a cup of water when cooking yam paste.
duan1duan1 • 單單
Unlike dian7, duan1duan1 comes before a verb or adjective.
ua⁵³ tsɯ³⁵ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ tũã³³tũã³³ loʔ² pũã⁵³pue³³ tsui⁵³
Ua2 ze2(6) ou7ni5 duan1duan1 loh8(4) buan3(2)buê1 zui2.
我 煮 芋泥 單單 落 半杯 水。
I cook yam-paste only add half-cup water.
I only add half a cup of water when cooking yam paste.
“A few”, “several”
gui2 • 幾 or gua2 • 幾
In addition to being an interrogative (“how many”, see “Questions”), gui2 can also mean “a few”, and is used similarly to its Mandarin cognate jǐ.
i³³ tsi³⁵kai¹¹ loi³⁵pai²¹³ u¹¹ tsiaʔ² kui³⁵ ua⁵³ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ lou¹¹
I1 zi2(6)gai5(7) loi2(6)bai3 u6(7)-ziah8(4) gui2(6)-ua2 ou7ni5 lou7.
伊 只個 禮拜 有食 幾碗 芋泥 路。
He this week have-eat several-bowl yam-paste PERF.
He has eaten several bowls of yam paste this week.
If gui2 is used in a question, gua2 is used in the (not very informative) reply.
A: / niŋ⁵³ ai⁵³ kui³⁵ua⁵³ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ / B: / uaŋ⁵³ ai⁵³ kua³⁵ua⁵³ /
A: Ning2 ai3(2) gui2(6)-ua2 ou7ni5? B: Uang2 ai3(2) gua2(6)-ua2.
甲：恁 愛 幾碗 芋泥？乙：阮 愛 幾碗。
A: You-pl. want how-many-bowl yam-paste? B: We-excl. want few-bowl.
A: How many bowls of yam paste do you want? B: We want a few bowls.
Gua2 meaning “a few” is also written as 寡.
Gui2/gua2 can also be used to indicate an estimate of a number. In that case gui2/gua2 comes after the numeral, like in English “ten-odd” (about ten):
i³³ tsĩõ¹¹kai¹¹ loi³⁵pai²¹³ u¹¹tsiaʔ² tsap²kua³⁵ ua⁵³ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵
I1 zion7-gai5(7) loi2(6)bai3 u6(7)-ziah8(4) zap8(4)-gua2(6) ua2 ou7ni5.
伊 上個 禮拜 有食 十幾 碗 芋泥。
He last-week have-eat ten-about bowl yam-paste.
He ate ten-odd bowls of yam paste last week.
“A little bit”
The following are used for uncountable or mass nouns:
dam7boh8 • 淡薄
According to Li (1991) this is a regional word used in Singapore/Malaysia but not in mainland Teochew.
loʔ² goʔ⁵ tam¹¹poʔ² iam⁵⁵ ia¹¹ oi¹¹sai⁵³
Loh8(4) goh8 dam7boh8(4) iam5 ia7 oi6(7)sai2.
落 閣 淡薄 鹽 亦 會使。
Add more a-bit salt also can.
A bit more salt wouldn’t hurt.
dih4(8)gian2 • 滴囝 / zêg4dih4(8)gian2 • 一滴囝
lɯ⁵³ eŋ¹¹ tsek²tiʔ⁵kĩã⁵³ tĩã¹¹ / ti¹¹ko⁵⁵ u¹¹ kau¹¹
Le2 êng7 zêg8(4)dih4(8)gian2 dian7, di7go5(7) u6(7) gau7?
汝 用 一滴囝 爾，哋塊 有 夠？
You use a-little-bit only, where have enough?
How does the little bit that you used suffice?
To emphasize how little it is one might use reduplication and say dih4(8)dih4(8)gian2.
mih4 • 乜
An adverb meaning “a little bit”. Its negative form is bho5(7)mih4 無乜 “not much”.
taŋ¹¹si¹¹ tsʰuk²kʰɯ²¹³ gua¹¹kʰau⁵³ tsiu¹¹ bo¹¹miʔ² eŋ³⁵
Dang6(7)si6(7) cug8(4)ke3 ghua7kao2 ziu6(7) bho5(7)mih4 êng6.
但是 出去 外口 就 無乜 用。
But go-out outside then not-much use.
But it’s not much use outside [of this context].
Is there a use for Teo-Swa language?
“Enough”
gao3 • 夠
lɯ⁵³ u¹¹loʔ² kau⁵³ iam⁵⁵ bo⁵⁵
Le2 u6(7)-loh8(4) gao3(2) iam5 bho5?
汝 有落 夠 鹽 無？
You PERF-add enough salt NOT?
Have you added enough salt?
la6 • 𤰉
pũã⁵³ tʰɯŋ³³si¹¹ iam⁵⁵ tsiu¹¹ la³⁵lou¹¹
Buan3(2) teng1si5(7) iam5 ziu6(7) la6-lou7.
半 湯匙 鹽 就 𤰉 𡀔。
Half spoon salt then enough PERF.
Half a spoonful of salt is sufficient.
***
tsi⁵³ tiʔ⁵kĩã⁵³mueʔ⁵ ti¹¹ko¹¹ u¹¹ tsiaʔ² oi¹¹ la³⁵
Zi2-dih4(8)gian2(6)muêh8 di7go5(7)-u6(7) ziah8(4) oi6(7) la6?
只滴囝物 哋塊 有 食 會 𤰉？
This-little-bit-thing where have eat can enough?
How can this little morsel be sufficient?
“Many” or “a lot”
zoi7 • 濟
Also written 㩼.
gê1 • 加
Both zoi7 and gê1 can mean “many”. In the following quotation, both are used in one sentence by the same speaker:
sõĩ³³ tiaŋ³³si⁵⁵ tʰak²tsɯ³³ kai¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵ ia⁰ bo¹¹ tsoi¹¹
… soin1 diang1si5 tag8(4)ze1 gai5(7) nang5 ia bho5(7)-zoi7,
先 珍時 讀書 個 儂 也 無濟，
past time study-GAI person also NEG-many
In the past, not many people went to school.
***
tsek² paŋ³³ / siaŋ¹¹ ke³³ / si¹¹ kau⁵² si⁵²tsap⁵ / si⁵²tsap̬⁵ gua¹¹ naŋ³³ nia⁰
zêg8(4)-bang1… siang6(7)-gê1… si6(7) gao3(2) si3(2)zab8, si3(2)zab8-ghua7 nang1 nia.
一班⋯⋯ 上加⋯⋯ 是 到 四十、四十外 儂 爾
one class… most many … is until forty, forty-plus person only
In each class were, at the most, about forty pupils.
Oral history interview with Ng Boon Tiang (Accession 000223, reel 1, 11 Oct 1982, ca. 10:00)
“Too much”
kah4 • 佮 + ADJ
Similar to Mandarin tài 太. Same character as gah4 (see above).
no¹¹pue³³ tɯ³³iu⁵⁵ kʰa⁵ tsoi¹¹ lou¹¹
No6(7)-buê1 de1iu5 kah4(8)-zoi7-lou7!
兩杯 豬油 佮濟𡀔！
Two-cup pig-oil too-much-PERF!
Two cups of lard is already too much!
guê3(2)tao5 • 過頭 + ADJ
lɯ⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ kue⁵³tʰau¹¹ tiam⁵⁵
Le2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 guê3(2)tao5(7) diam5.
汝個 芋泥 過頭 甜。
You-GEN yam-paste too-much sweet.
Your yam paste is too sweet.
“Everything”, “all”
cuang5(7)bou6 • 全部
ua⁵³kai¹¹ ou¹¹ni⁵⁵ tsʰuaŋ¹¹pou³⁵ kʰoiʔ²nang¹¹ kʰioʔ⁵ kʰɯ²¹³
Ua2-gai5(7) ou7ni5 cuang5(7)bou6 koih8(4)-nang5(7) kioh8-ke3.
我個 芋泥 全部 乞儂 挈去。
I-GEN yam-paste all PASS-people take-away.
All of my yam paste has been taken by other people.
long2(6)zong2 • 攏總 or long2 • 攏
Probably loaned from Hokkien, although common. Mainland Teochew uses cuang5(7)bou6 more often.
lɯ⁵³ tsĩẽ⁵³ hu¹¹tʰu⁵⁵ / naŋ¹¹ loŋ³⁵tsoŋ³⁵ kie⁵³ ua³⁵ tso⁵³ zik²tʰau¹¹ ia⁵⁵ / tʰĩ³³e³⁵ si¹¹ ua³⁵ siaŋ¹¹ tiŋ⁵³tua¹¹
Le2 ziên3(2) hu5(7)tu5, nang5(7) long2(6)zong2(6) giê3(2) ua2(6) zo3(2) Rig8(4)tao5(7)-Ia5, tin1-ê6 si6(7) ua2(6) siang6(7) ding2dua7
汝 照 糊塗， 儂 攏總 叫 我 做 日頭爺， 天下 是 我 上 頂大
You anyway silly, people all call me as Sun-Grandpa, under-heaven is I most big
Anyway, you’re silly, everybody calls me Grandpa Sun, I’m the biggest one under Heaven
“About”
An approximate number, where the lower limit is known, is indicated with a suffix ghua7 that comes directly after the number:
i³³ kiŋ³³ni⁵⁵ u¹¹ lak²tsap² gua¹¹ hue¹¹
I1 ging1ni5 u6(7) lag8(4)zab8(4)-ghua7 huê7.
伊 經年 有 六十外 歲。
He this-year have sixty-odd age.
He’s just over sixty this year.
The expression zo2(6)iu6 左右 is not applied directly after the number, but after the countable noun.
i³³ kiŋ³³ni⁵⁵ u¹¹ lak²tsap² hue¹¹ tso³⁵iu³⁵
I1 ging1ni5 u6(7) lag8(4)zab8(4)-huê7 zo2(6)iu6.
伊 經年 有 六十歲 左右。
He this-year have sixty-age left-right.
He’s aged about sixty this year.
Another way to express an approximate value or quality is the adjective ca1m6(7)do1 差唔多.
i³³ oʔ² tie¹¹ tsiu³³ ue¹¹ u¹¹ tsʰa³³ m¹¹ to³³ tsek² kai¹¹ gueʔ⁵ lou¹¹
I1 oh8(4) Diê5(7)ziu1-uê7 u6(7) ca1m6(7)do1 zêg8(4)-gai5(7) ghuêh8-lou7
伊 學 潮州話 有 差唔多 一個月 𡀔
He learn Teochew-language have about one-CL month-PERF.
He has learned Teochew for about a month.
References and further reading
- Yue, Anne O. (2003), Chinese dialects: Grammar
- Chappell, Hilary (2017), A sketch of Southern Min grammar
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Authentic yam paste is made with lard (de1iu5 豬油 or la5 膋) and garnished with ginkgo nuts (bêh8(4)guê2 白果). Accept no substitutes. ↩