bat1 zi1 dou6不知道
Jyutpingbat1 zi1 dou6
Yalebāt jī douh
Definition
To not know; to be unaware of.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 唔知 instead of the written form 不知道. Using the latter in casual speech sounds extremely unnatural, like reading a textbook aloud. It is a very versatile word that can be used to express ignorance about facts, locations, or people.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 不知道 because they see it in written Chinese. In spoken Cantonese, always use 唔知 to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- How oftenUsually, sometimes, all the time, rarely, never. All five sit in one slot, between the subject and the verb.
- 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.
