bat1 daan1不單不单
Jyutpingbat1 daan1
Yalebāt dāan
Definition
Not only; not just.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 不單 is understood in Cantonese, speakers almost always add 止 to form 不單止 for a more natural flow. It functions as a conjunction to link two attributes or actions, often paired with 仲 or 仲要 to introduce the second, more significant point. It is slightly more formal than using 唔單止, which is the most common spoken variant.
Examples
He is not only very smart, but also very polite.
This job is not only tiring, but the pay is also very low.
Related words
Common phrases
bat1不daan1單zi2止...zung6仲...
not only... but also...
Common mistake
Learners often mistake 不單 for a direct equivalent of the Mandarin 不但, but in Cantonese, the addition of 止 is essential for sounding authentic. Using it without 止 can sound like a direct translation from written Chinese rather than natural speech.
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.
