mou5 mat1 je5冇乜嘢
Jyutpingmou5 mat1 je5
Yalemóuh māt yéh
Definition
Nothing special; nothing much, with no major issues or problems.
colloquialdescriptionscommunication
How it's used
This phrase is a versatile way to downplay a situation or express that things are normal and uneventful. It functions as a polite way to deflect prying questions about one's personal life or to indicate that a problem is not serious. While it can mean nothing special, it is also frequently used to mean no problems or everything is fine.
Examples
Are you busy lately, is there anything special going on?
We went out for a meal today, but it was nothing special really.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean that something is literally empty or non-existent, as it specifically refers to a lack of significance or trouble. It is also common to hear the shortened form 冇咩, which is even more casual.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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.
