bat1 zi6不治
Jyutpingbat1 zi6
Yalebāt jih
Definition
Incurable, or to pass away due to severe illness or injury.
- incurable; cannot be treated
- to die from a severe illness or injury
writtenhealth
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or clinical contexts to describe a condition that cannot be medically resolved. While it appears in the common idiom 不治之症, using it as a standalone verb in casual daily speech can sound overly dramatic or clinical. It often carries a sense of finality regarding a patient's prognosis.
Examples
The doctor said his illness is already incurable.
Related words
Common phrases
incurable disease
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for 'cannot be fixed', but it is strictly reserved for medical contexts involving life or death. Do not use it for broken objects or minor health issues.
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.
