po2叵
Jyutpingpo2
Yalepó
Definition
Cannot; to be unable to; also meaning not or impossibly.
- literarycannot; to be unable to
- literarynot; impossibly
writtendescriptions
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively encountered in the fixed four character idiom 叵測, which describes something that is unfathomable or treacherous. It is a literary term that rarely appears in isolation in modern spoken Cantonese. Using it outside of this specific idiom will sound unnatural or overly archaic to native speakers.
Examples
This matter is truly unpredictable, no one could guess.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common negative particle, but it is not interchangeable with 唔 or 冇. It is strictly a formal, literary component of specific set phrases.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
