bat1 ok3不惡不恶
Jyutpingbat1 ok3
Yalebāt ok
Definition
Not fierce, or not bad.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Using 唔惡 to mean "not bad" is a common way to express that something is acceptable or surprisingly good, often used as a mild form of praise. When referring to a person's appearance or personality, it specifically means they do not look intimidating or aggressive. It is a versatile term that shifts between describing quality and temperament depending on the context.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where 惡 often strictly refers to evil or wickedness. In Cantonese, 惡 is primarily about being fierce, aggressive, or having a scary temper, so 唔惡 is a very specific way to describe someone who is approachable or gentle.
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).
