sai2 mat1使乜
Jyutpingsai2 mat1
Yalesái māt
Definition
No need to; there is no necessity to do something.
colloquialdaily actionsparticle
How it's used
Functioning as a rhetorical question, this phrase is used to dismiss the necessity of an action or emotion. It carries a strong conversational tone that often implies the action being questioned is excessive or pointless. When used in a sentence, it frequently pairs with particles like 啫 or 呀 to emphasize the speaker's skepticism or casual attitude.
Examples
Why do you have to be so polite?
For such a small matter, there is no need to ask him for help.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal question asking for a reason, but it is almost always a rhetorical way of saying that something is unnecessary. Avoid using it in formal writing or professional settings where a more neutral expression like 唔使 is preferred.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
