bat1 zi1 so2 ji5不知所以

Jyutpingbat1 zi1 so2 ji5

Yalebāt jī só yíh

Definition

Not knowing the reason why; being bewildered or at a loss.

colloquialemotiondescriptions

How it's used

Carries a slightly formal or literary weight despite being used in spoken Cantonese to express confusion or bewilderment. It often implies that the speaker is not just confused, but genuinely baffled by the lack of logic or context behind an event. It is frequently used to describe a state of being lost or puzzled by someone else's inexplicable behavior.

Examples

keoi5佢gong2講jyun4完di1啲je5嘢，ngo5我jyun4完cyun4全bat1不zi1知so2所ji5以。

After they finished talking, I had no idea what they meant.

nei5你zou6做me1咩dat6突jin4然faat3發pei4脾hei3氣，zan1真hai6係bat1不zi1知so2所ji5以。

Why are you suddenly losing your temper? I really don't get it.

Common phrases

bat1不zi1知so2所ji5以

making one feel confused

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with the idiom 不知所措, which means not knowing what to do or being at a loss for action. While both start with 不知, 不知所以 focuses on the lack of understanding of a cause or reason, whereas 不知所措 focuses on the inability to react appropriately in a situation.