bat1 ming4不明
Jyutpingbat1 ming4
Yalebāt mìhng
Definition
Unknown; not yet known to anyone.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Primarily used in formal reports, news broadcasts, or official warnings to describe situations where information is lacking. It carries a sense of detachment and objectivity, making it sound much more serious than casual phrases like 唔知.
Examples
The origin of this thing is unknown, don't touch it carelessly.
He suddenly disappeared, and the reason is still unknown.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual conversation to mean 'I don't know' as it sounds overly stiff and robotic. Use 唔知 instead when talking about personal ignorance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
