mat1 je5 dou1乜嘢都
Jyutpingmat1 je5 dou1
Yalemāt yéh dōu
Definition
Everything; anything; all things.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Functions as a versatile pronoun covering both positive and negative contexts. When used with 唔, it acts as a strong negative meaning nothing at all. It is significantly more common in casual speech than the more formal 任何嘢.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 乜嘢都 in place of 乜嘢, forgetting that the addition of 都 is necessary to convey the sense of 'all' or 'any'. Without the particle, the sentence will sound incomplete or grammatically incorrect.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
