bat1 gam1不禁
Jyutpingbat1 gam1
Yalebāt gām
Definition
Cannot help but; cannot refrain from doing something.
writtendescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Although written as 不禁, this is a formal adverb that is rarely used in casual speech. Cantonese speakers almost always prefer the spoken phrase 忍唔住 to express the same meaning. Using 不禁 in daily conversation sounds like you are reading from a book or trying to sound overly literary.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the written adverb 不禁 with the spoken verb phrase 忍唔住. While they share the same meaning, they belong to different registers and cannot be swapped in a natural, casual conversation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
