bat1 gan2 gan2不僅僅不仅仅
Jyutpingbat1 gan2 gan2
Yalebāt gán gán
Definition
Not only; not merely.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 唔止 instead of the formal written term 不僅僅 in spoken communication. Using the latter in casual conversation sounds stiff, overly academic, or like you are reading from a textbook. It is perfectly acceptable to use 唔止 in both formal and informal settings.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 不僅僅 because it is a direct translation of the Mandarin term, but it sounds unnatural in spoken Cantonese. Always prefer 唔止 to sound like a local.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
