bat1 ho2 tung4 jat6 ji4 jyu5不可同日而語不可同日而语
Jyutpingbat1 ho2 tung4 jat6 ji4 jyu5
Yalebāt hó tùhng yaht yìh yúh
Definition
Not to be compared or mentioned in the same breath.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of contrast between two states, usually implying that the current state is vastly superior to the previous one. It is formal in origin but frequently used in everyday speech to emphasize a dramatic transformation or improvement. It functions as a predicate and is often placed at the end of a sentence to deliver a definitive judgment on the comparison.
Examples
The quality of life now really cannot be compared to the past.
keoi5佢ji4而gaa1家ge3嘅jan4人gung1工tung4同ji5以cin4前bei2比，gaan2簡zik6直hai6係bat1不ho2可tung4同jat6日ji4而jyu5語aa4呀。
His salary now compared to before is simply in a different league.
Related words
Common phrases
simply cannot be mentioned in the same breath
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to mean simply different, but it specifically implies that one subject has evolved or changed so significantly that a direct comparison is no longer valid or fair. Avoid using it for minor differences, as it is reserved for major shifts in quality, status, or scale.
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.
