<p>halfelf's answer is correct, but I'll say a little more about how they're used in Cantonese, since the behaviour of these abbreviations is a little unusual there.</p>

<p>廿 <em>jaa6</em> indeed abbreviates 二十 <em>ji6 sap6</em>. Similarly, 卅 abbreviates 三十 <em>saam1 sap6</em>. But 卅 is pronounced <em>saa1aa6</em>, an unusual tone contour.</p>

<p>Abbreviations for numbers 40 and above are formed regularly: <em>sei3aa6</em>, <em>ng5aa6</em> and so on.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-29T10:47:05.490Z
2012-10-29T10:47:05.490Z
jogloran
<p>This is not only in Cantonese. People in several south provinces say these words. And most Chinese are familiar with <code>廿</code> (<a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ni%C3%A0n" rel="nofollow">niàn</a> or <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/p%C3%A1n" rel="nofollow">pán</a>) and <code>卅</code>, even though they don't usually say it.</p>

<ol>
<li><code>卅</code> (sà) means 30</li>
<li><code>卌</code> (xì) means 40</li>
<li><code>皕</code> (bì) means 200</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-29T09:55:24.613Z
cool. I like `皕`. `百＋百` joined into one character. Can you do the same with `萬＋萬`?
Matthew Rudy 马泰
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-29T10:00:36.033Z
No, there is only `皕`, though I agree it's cool to combine two `萬`. And be careful to use `皕` and `卌`. I guess 99% native speakers have no idea about it.
halfelf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-30T05:36:35.903Z
廿 is also commonly used in the Shanghai dialect. Just thought I'd put it out there, e.g., 廿四路 (Bus route 24).
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-01T05:49:03.423Z
How is 廿 pronounced in Shanghainese?
jogloran
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-01T06:07:31.947Z
@jogloran `niàn`. Since my mother is from Shanghai, I know a little Shanghainese.
halfelf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-29T09:52:54.590Z
2012-10-29T22:56:04.983Z
2012-10-29T22:56:04.983Z
halfelf
<p>In Hong Kong herbal tea shops, you will see a tea called "廿四味" (24 flavours)</p>

<p>(you will also hear "廿蚊" to mean "20 dollars" in small shops)</p>

<p>In this case 廿 (<a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ni%C3%A0n">niàn</a> or <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/p%C3%A1n">pán</a>) has the meaning "20".</p>

<p>Are there any other chinese numerals that represent unusual numbers?</p>

<cantonese><number>
Are there more special numerals like 廿?
# Are there more special numerals like 廿?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-10-29)

In Hong Kong herbal tea shops, you will see a tea called "廿四味" (24 flavours)

(you will also hear "廿蚊" to mean "20 dollars" in small shops)

In this case 廿 ([niàn](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ni%C3%A0n) or [pán](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/p%C3%A1n)) has the meaning "20".

Are there any other chinese numerals that represent unusual numbers?

**Tags:** cantonese, number


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-10-29. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

This is not only in Cantonese. People in several south provinces say these words. And most Chinese are familiar with `廿` ([niàn](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ni%C3%A0n) or [pán](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/p%C3%A1n)) and `卅`, even though they don't usually say it.

1. `卅` (sà) means 30
2. `卌` (xì) means 40
3. `皕` (bì) means 200

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: cool. I like `皕`. `百＋百` joined into one character. Can you do the same with `萬＋萬`?  
> **username_2**: No, there is only `皕`, though I agree it's cool to combine two `萬`. And be careful to use `皕` and `卌`. I guess 99% native speakers have no idea about it.  
> **username_3**: 廿 is also commonly used in the Shanghai dialect. Just thought I'd put it out there, e.g., 廿四路 (Bus route 24).  
> **username_1**: How is 廿 pronounced in Shanghainese?  
> **username_2**: @username_1 `niàn`. Since my mother is from Shanghai, I know a little Shanghainese.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2012-10-29. Score: 3

username_2's answer is correct, but I'll say a little more about how they're used in Cantonese, since the behaviour of these abbreviations is a little unusual there.

廿 *jaa6* indeed abbreviates 二十 *ji6 sap6*. Similarly, 卅 abbreviates 三十 *saam1 sap6*. But 卅 is pronounced *saa1aa6*, an unusual tone contour.

Abbreviations for numbers 40 and above are formed regularly: *sei3aa6*, *ng5aa6* and so on.


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