<ol>
<li><p>It means 'numerous/several facts about Fuku Noodle'.</p>
</li>
<li><p>The slang <code>N</code> has an algebraic etymology which denotes an <em>unspecified but large</em> number (e.g., 1, 2, 3, ..., N). Apparently this emerged in the early eighties (see more <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/14179/when-did-the-usage-of-n-to-indicate-some-unspecified-quantity-come-up">here</a>).</p>
<p><code>件</code> is the counter for <code>事</code> ('a thing; a matter', here its meaning is fairly abstract and dummy-like, meaning whatever that is about Fuku noodle). In fact it is common to add
counters after <code>N</code>: <code>N樣嘢</code> ('many things'), <code>N次</code> ('many times'),
<code>N年前</code> ('many years ago') etc.</p>
<p>Of course, we don't expect countlessly many facts in a short video. Using <code>N</code> is often exaggeration.</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-07T13:27:56.837Z
2021-05-07T13:33:11.017Z
2021-05-07T13:33:11.017Z
L Parker
<p>'n' is a common symbol for 'unknow number' in the maths textbook,</p>
<p>N年前 = so many years ago/ unknown number of years ago</p>
<p>N樣嘢 = so many things/ unknown number of things</p>
<p>I did wonder why use 'n' but not X or Y for unknown numbers? Then I thought, oh, the word 'number' starts with an 'n'</p>
<p>I also wondered since 'n' can be a small number, why we use it for numerous, Then I thought, small number is easy to remember, If there are only a few things about 福麵, we would just state the exact number. We say 'N件事' because there are too many things that the exact number became unknown</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>我妹妹有兩個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has two boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about?</p>
<p>我妹妹有咁多個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has so many boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about?</p>
<p>我妹妹有N個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has numerous boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about? (I stopped counting after the fifth)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-07T18:02:10.713Z
2021-05-07T18:12:54.130Z
2021-05-07T18:12:54.130Z
Tang Ho
<p>I saw the title of a video: 關於福麵嘅N件事.
福麵 is a brand of noodles with a huge 福 writing on the packaging. What then is N件事? Is it a Cantonese slang I am unaware of?</p>

<cantonese><slang>
What is N件事? (Cantonese)
# What is N件事? (Cantonese)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-07)

I saw the title of a video: 關於福麵嘅N件事.
福麵 is a brand of noodles with a huge 福 writing on the packaging. What then is N件事? Is it a Cantonese slang I am unaware of?

**Tags:** cantonese, slang

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-05-07. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

1. It means 'numerous/several facts about Fuku Noodle'.
2. The slang `N` has an algebraic etymology which denotes an *unspecified but large* number (e.g., 1, 2, 3, ..., N). Apparently this emerged in the early eighties (see more [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/14179/when-did-the-usage-of-n-to-indicate-some-unspecified-quantity-come-up)).

   `件` is the counter for `事` ('a thing; a matter', here its meaning is fairly abstract and dummy-like, meaning whatever that is about Fuku noodle). In fact it is common to add
   counters after `N`: `N樣嘢` ('many things'), `N次` ('many times'),
   `N年前` ('many years ago') etc.

   Of course, we don't expect countlessly many facts in a short video. Using `N` is often exaggeration.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-05-07. Score: 1

'n' is a common symbol for 'unknow number' in the maths textbook,

N年前 = so many years ago/ unknown number of years ago

N樣嘢 = so many things/ unknown number of things

I did wonder why use 'n' but not X or Y for unknown numbers? Then I thought, oh, the word 'number' starts with an 'n'

I also wondered since 'n' can be a small number, why we use it for numerous, Then I thought, small number is easy to remember, If there are only a few things about 福麵, we would just state the exact number. We say 'N件事' because there are too many things that the exact number became unknown

Example:

我妹妹有兩個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has two boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about?

我妹妹有咁多個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has so many boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about?

我妹妹有N個男朋友，我點知你講邊個? - My sister has numerous boyfriends, how do I know which one you are talking about? (I stopped counting after the fifth)


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