m4 kam1唔禁
Jyutpingm4 kam1
Yalem̀h kām
Definition
To not dare to; to lack the courage to do something.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
This expression is a common colloquial contraction of 唔敢. It is used exclusively in spoken Cantonese to express a lack of courage or confidence to perform an action. While it sounds very natural in casual conversation, it should be avoided in formal writing or professional settings.
Examples
I really don't dare to walk over and ask him.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 唔肯, which means 'not willing to' or 'refuse to'. While 唔禁 implies a lack of courage, 唔肯 implies a lack of desire or agreement.
Grammar color guide
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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.
