bat1 wai4 jan4 zi1不為人知不为人知
Jyutpingbat1 wai4 jan4 zi1
Yalebāt wàih yàhn jī
Definition
Obscure, unknown, or hidden from public knowledge.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Carries a slightly literary or dramatic tone, often used when revealing secrets or uncovering hidden facts. It is common in storytelling or journalism to add a sense of mystery or gravity to the subject matter. While perfectly understandable in speech, it sounds more formal than simply saying 冇乜人知.
Examples
He has a secret that nobody knows.
There is some obscure history here.
Related words
Common phrases
an unknown side of someone
an untold secret
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual, everyday conversation to describe mundane things, as it sounds overly dramatic. For simple facts that are just not widely known, use 冇乜人知 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
- 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.
