bat1 ming4 bat1 baak6不明不白
Jyutpingbat1 ming4 bat1 baak6
Yalebāt mìhng bāt baahk
Definition
Obscure, dubious, or unclear in details or circumstances.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on situations where the underlying reasons or the truth behind an event are hidden or intentionally obscured. It often carries a sense of injustice or frustration, especially when someone is blamed or suffers a consequence without knowing why. Unlike simply saying something is unclear, this phrase implies a lack of transparency that feels suspicious.
Examples
The whole thing ended up so unclear, it is really annoying.
Why did you leave without any clear explanation?
Related words
Common phrases
to die under suspicious or unexplained circumstances
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe something that is just physically blurry or hard to see. It is strictly for abstract situations, motives, or the circumstances surrounding an event.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
