<p>Actually, 多(more) functions the same in both Cantonese and Mandarin  </p>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>"Eat fish <strong>more often</strong> "= "<strong>多</strong>吃鱼" (Mandarin) = "<strong>多</strong>食鱼" (Cantonese)</p>

<p>~</p>

<p>The Cantonese term "多啲"(more) is equal to "多些"(more) in Mandarin. It can be placed before or after the verb. </p>

<p>For example: </p>

<p>(Mandarin)</p>

<ul>
<li><p><strong>多些</strong>吃鱼 = eat fish <strong>more often</strong></p></li>
<li><p>吃<strong>多些</strong>鱼 = eat <strong>more</strong> fish</p></li>
</ul>

<p>(Cantonese)</p>

<ul>
<li><p><strong>多啲</strong>食鱼 = eat fish <strong>more often</strong></p></li>
<li><p>食<strong>多啲</strong>鱼 = eat <strong>more</strong> fish</p></li>
</ul>

<p>(<em>The real difference between Cantonese and Mandarin here are '食' vs.'吃' ; '多啲' vs. '多些'</em>)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T19:23:57.237Z
This makes so much sense! For both Cantonese and Mandarin, 多 precedes the verb usually, and it's *多啲* that can be used before/after a verb.
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T04:55:30.370Z
To clarify, are you saying 多吃鱼 is simply an abbreviation for 多些吃鱼 since they both mean eat fish more often? Does this mean 吃多鱼 could be an abbreviation for 吃多些鱼?
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T05:24:07.227Z
"多些(adv) 吃(v) 鱼(n) = eat fish more often" ; "吃(v) 多些(determiner ) 鱼(n) = eat a lot of fish"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T05:29:00.193Z
Thanks! However, the question was more if 吃多鱼 is an appropriate abbreviation for 吃多些鱼 in the same way you said 多吃鱼 is a shorter form of 多些吃鱼? Basically, is it okay to drop 些 and just say 多吃鱼 and 吃多鱼?
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T05:45:48.513Z
吃多鱼 is not an appropriate abbreviation for 吃多(些)鱼. Because 吃多鱼 could also be interpreted as 吃多(了)鱼, meaning 'have eaten too much fish', therefore we always say  "吃多些鱼" or "吃多了鱼" instead of "吃多鱼" ; on the other hand "多吃鱼" can only mean "多些吃鱼", therefore you can reduce it to "多吃鱼" without creating ambiguity.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T06:08:41.653Z
And by extension it also means in Cantonese you cannot say 食多鱼? You must always say 食多啲鱼? Thanks again!
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-20T06:10:26.073Z
Yes, Cantonese either say 食多啲鱼 or 食多咗鱼. Never say 食多鱼
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T10:41:48.617Z
2017-11-22T11:18:00.790Z
2017-11-22T11:18:00.790Z
Tang Ho
<p>My grammar could be wrong, but it feels like in Cantonese you would typically say something like 食多啲 to mean eat more.</p>

<p>But <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Doing_something_more_with_%22duo%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this Mandarin grammar page</a> says you should usually put 多 before the verb, not after:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In English we like to say things like "eat more" and "drink more beer"
  and "I need to exercise more." Notice that in every one of these
  cases, the word "more" (equivalent to this use of 多) comes after the
  verb in English. In Chinese, it's more natural to put the 多 before the
  verb.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>1) Is my Cantonese grammar wrong?</p>

<p>2) If not, does this mean Cantonese grammar and Mandarin grammar differ regarding 多?</p>

<mandarin><cantonese>
Understanding how to use 多 properly
# Understanding how to use 多 properly

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-22)

My grammar could be wrong, but it feels like in Cantonese you would typically say something like 食多啲 to mean eat more.

But [this Mandarin grammar page](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Doing_something_more_with_%22duo%22) says you should usually put 多 before the verb, not after:

> In English we like to say things like "eat more" and "drink more beer"
> and "I need to exercise more." Notice that in every one of these
> cases, the word "more" (equivalent to this use of 多) comes after the
> verb in English. In Chinese, it's more natural to put the 多 before the
> verb.

1) Is my Cantonese grammar wrong?

2) If not, does this mean Cantonese grammar and Mandarin grammar differ regarding 多?

**Tags:** mandarin, cantonese


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-22. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Actually, 多(more) functions the same in both Cantonese and Mandarin

Example:

"Eat fish **more often** "= "**多**吃鱼" (Mandarin) = "**多**食鱼" (Cantonese)

~

The Cantonese term "多啲"(more) is equal to "多些"(more) in Mandarin. It can be placed before or after the verb.

For example:

(Mandarin)

* **多些**吃鱼 = eat fish **more often**
* 吃**多些**鱼 = eat **more** fish

(Cantonese)

* **多啲**食鱼 = eat fish **more often**
* 食**多啲**鱼 = eat **more** fish

(*The real difference between Cantonese and Mandarin here are '食' vs.'吃' ; '多啲' vs. '多些'*)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This makes so much sense! For both Cantonese and Mandarin, 多 precedes the verb usually, and it's *多啲* that can be used before/after a verb.  
> **username_0**: To clarify, are you saying 多吃鱼 is simply an abbreviation for 多些吃鱼 since they both mean eat fish more often? Does this mean 吃多鱼 could be an abbreviation for 吃多些鱼?  
> **username_1**: "多些(adv) 吃(v) 鱼(n) = eat fish more often" ; "吃(v) 多些(determiner ) 鱼(n) = eat a lot of fish"  
> **username_0**: Thanks! However, the question was more if 吃多鱼 is an appropriate abbreviation for 吃多些鱼 in the same way you said 多吃鱼 is a shorter form of 多些吃鱼? Basically, is it okay to drop 些 and just say 多吃鱼 and 吃多鱼?  
> **username_1**: 吃多鱼 is not an appropriate abbreviation for 吃多(些)鱼. Because 吃多鱼 could also be interpreted as 吃多(了)鱼, meaning 'have eaten too much fish', therefore we always say  "吃多些鱼" or "吃多了鱼" instead of "吃多鱼" ; on the other hand "多吃鱼" can only mean "多些吃鱼", therefore you can reduce it to "多吃鱼" without creating ambiguity.  
> **username_0**: And by extension it also means in Cantonese you cannot say 食多鱼? You must always say 食多啲鱼? Thanks again!  
> **username_1**: Yes, Cantonese either say 食多啲鱼 or 食多咗鱼. Never say 食多鱼  

---

