m4 ding6唔定
Jyutpingm4 ding6
Yalem̀h dihng
Definition
Uncertain; hard to say for sure; typically used to indicate a possibility.
colloquialdescriptionscommunication
How it's used
This expression acts as a modal marker to introduce a possibility that the speaker is not entirely certain about. It is almost always preceded by the adverb 都 to emphasize the speculative nature of the statement. It functions similarly to the English phrase "you never know" or "it is possible that."
Examples
He might come tomorrow, you never know.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use this as a direct translation for "uncertain" in a descriptive sense, but it is strictly a sentence-final or clause-final structure used to express a guess about a situation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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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.
