jat6 bat1 haa6 kap1日不暇給日不暇给
Jyutpingjat6 bat1 haa6 kap1
Yaleyaht bāt hah kāp
Definition
Too busy with no spare time; fully occupied every day.
writtenworktime
How it's used
This idiom is primarily used in formal or written contexts to describe a state of being overwhelmed by tasks. While it can be used in speech, it carries a slightly literary or sophisticated tone that might sound out of place in very casual settings. It specifically emphasizes the lack of time to handle the sheer volume of work rather than just being generally busy.
Examples
I have been so busy with work lately that I have no spare time, I am really tired.
Are you too busy to have any spare time lately, so you cannot come out for a meal?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common everyday phrase, but it is actually a formal idiom. Using it in casual conversation with friends can sound overly dramatic or stiff, as most people would simply use phrases like 忙到死 or 忙到冇停手.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
