m4 hai6 ne1唔係呢唔系呢

Jyutpingm4 hai6 ne1

Yalem̀h haih nē

Definition

Otherwise; or else.

colloquialcommunicationdaily actions

How it's used

This phrase serves as a common, punchy way to introduce a negative consequence. It functions similarly to 'or else' in English, often implying a threat or a warning about a looming problem. It is almost exclusively used in spoken contexts to connect two clauses where the second clause describes the undesirable outcome of the first.

Examples

faai3快di1啲zau2走aa4呀，m4唔hai6係ne1呢zau6就gon2趕m4唔cit3切㗎gaa2喇。

Hurry up and leave, otherwise you won't make it in time.

nei5你daai3帶baa2把ze1遮laa1啦，m4唔hai6係ne1呢zan6陣jyu5雨dim2點syun3算aa4呀？

Take an umbrella, or else what will you do if it rains?

Common phrases

m4唔hai6係ne1呢zau6就

otherwise then

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 唔係, which simply means 'no' or 'not'. Ensure you include the particle 呢 at the end to clearly signal the conditional 'otherwise' meaning.