bat1 siu2不少
Jyutpingbat1 siu2
Yalebāt síu
Definition
Quite a few; many; a good number of.
colloquialdescriptionsnumbers
How it's used
Using 唔少 as an understatement is a common rhetorical device to emphasize a large quantity. It functions similarly to the English expression "not a few," implying that the amount is significant or even surprising. It is far more natural in spoken Cantonese than the formal written equivalent 不少.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 不少 in casual speech, as it sounds overly formal or like written Mandarin. Always use 唔少 to maintain a natural, conversational tone.
Grammar color guide
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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).
