bun3 seon3 bun3 ji4半信半疑

Jyutpingbun3 seon3 bun3 ji4

Yalebun seun bun yìh

語句

Definition

Half-believing and half-doubting; partially convinced but still skeptical.

neutralemotiondescriptions

How it's used

This idiom is often used to describe a state of hesitation when receiving news that sounds too good to be true or suspicious. It functions as an adjective or adverbial phrase to qualify one's level of trust in a situation. Unlike formal written Chinese, it is frequently integrated into spoken sentences by adding 仲係 or 覺得 before it.

Examples

keoi5佢gong2講jyun4完zi1之hau6後，ngo5我zung6仲hai6係bun3半seon3信bun3半ji4疑。

After he finished speaking, I was still half-doubting.

nei5你hai6係mai6咪bun3半seon3信bun3半ji4疑aa4呀？

Are you half-convinced and half-doubting?

Common phrases

taai3態dou6度bun3半seon3信bun3半ji4疑

an attitude of being half-convinced and half-doubting

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a verb phrase meaning to doubt someone, but it specifically describes a state of mind where trust and suspicion coexist. Avoid using it to mean complete disbelief, as that would be 唔信.