bat1 soeng4不常
Jyutpingbat1 soeng4
Yalebāt sèuhng
Definition
Seldom; rarely; not often.
colloquialdescriptionstime
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively prefer the word 好少 over 不常 in spoken Cantonese. Using 不常 can sound slightly formal or written, as if you are reading from a textbook or a news report. If you want to sound natural, stick to 好少 for expressing frequency.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 不常 because it maps directly to Mandarin, but it sounds stiff and unnatural in daily conversation. Always opt for 好少 to convey that something happens infrequently.
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.
