“An hour” in Chinese is \{ih °tien tsoong}/ (一點鐘) or \{ih kuh
tsoong-deu}/ (一個鐘頭). Literally “one point of the clock.” This is a
foreign division of time. The Chinese divide the day into twelve
periods of two hours each, known as \{z-zung}/ (時辰). Now, the
divisions into hours has become very familiar.
\{Ih °tien tsoong}/ may also mean “one o’clock,” and the other hours
are indicated in the same way by the change of the numeral. Thus
“Two o’clock” is \{°liang °tien tsoong}/ (兩點鐘). Two hours would be
\{°liang kuh tsoong deu}/ (兩個鐘頭) or \{°liang °tien tsoong koong
foo}/ (兩點鐘功夫). “Three o’clock” is \{san °tien tsoong}/ (三點鐘),
etc.
“A day” is usually \{ih nyih}/ 一日. The character \{nyih}/ literally
means “sun.” In speaking of the heavenly body, in the colloquial,
\{deu}/ is added to the \{nyih}/, making the expression \{nyih-deu}/
(日頭). Sometimes the word \{thien}/ (天), meaning “Heaven,” is used
for “day.” Thus \{san thien}/ means “three days.” No classifier is
introduced between the numeral and the \{nyih}/ or the \{thien}/.
Thus we have for “four days” \{s° nyih}/ (四日) or \{s° thien}/ (四天).
“A week” is \{ih kuh °li-pa°}/ (一個禮拜) or \{ih °li-pa°}/ (一禮拜).
This, of course, is a foreign division of time which has been adopted
into Chinese. It takes its name from the name of Sunday, which is
usually \{°li-pa°-nyih}/ (禮拜日). Lit. “the day of ceremonial
worship.” \{°Li}/ means ceremony, \{pa°}/ is to worship. The other
days of the week are formed with the addition of the numerals as
follows: Monday is \{°li-pa°-ih}/ (禮拜一). Tuesday is \{°li-pa°-nyi°}/.
Wednesday is \{°li-pa°-san}/. Thursday \{°li-pa°-s°}/. Friday
\{°li-pa°-°ng}/ and Saturday \{°li-pa°-lok}/.
A new way of expressing the days of the week is by the use of the
words \{sing-ji}/ (星期) meaning the star period. Thus: Sunday is
\{sing-ji nyih}/ (星期日), Monday, \{sing-ji ih}/ (星期一), Tuesday,
\{sing-ji nyi°}/ (星期二), and so on for the other days.
“A month” is \{ih kuh nyoeh}/ (一個月). Lit. “a moon.” The Chinese year
is made up of twelve lunar months. The first month is called \{tsung
nyoeh}/ (正月), the second, \{nyi° nyoeh}/ (二月), the third, \{san
nyoeh}/ (三月) and so forth.
“A year” is \{ih nyien}/ (一年). No classifier is used between the
numeral and the word “year”, \{nyien}/.
“How many?” or “How much?” is \{°kyi-hau°?}/ (幾化). Thus \{°kyi-hau°
nyung le?}/ (幾化人來) means “How many men came?” \{°Kyi-hau° °s}/
(幾化水) means “How much water?”
\{°Kyi}/ is often used without the \{hau°}/. In such cases it is
followed by the classifier of the noun. Thus “How many men came?”
might be \{°kyi kuh nyung le?}/ (幾個人來). “How many horses have you?”
\{noong° °yeu °kyi tsak °mo?}/ (儂有幾隻馬).
“Where?” is \{°‘a-°li}/ (那裏). Thus “Where are you going?” is \{noong°
tau° °‘a- °li chi°?}/ (儂到那裏去). “Where are you?” is \{noong°
la°-°‘a-°li?}/ (濃拉那裏).
\{Sa°}/ meaning “what” with \{di°-faung}/ meaning “place” also
expresses “Where?” Thus \{sa° di°-faung?}/ (啥地方). We also have \{sa°
dzang-hau°?}/ (啥塲化) meaning “What place?” or “Where?” but this
refers to a more circumscribed area than \{di°- faung}/. We also have
\{sa° °‘oo-daung°}/ (啥戸蕩) used much in the same way as \{sa°
dzang-hau°}/.