sau6 bat1 liu5受不了
Jyutpingsau6 bat1 liu5
Yalesauh bāt líuh
Definition
To be unable to stand, bear, or endure something.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
顶唔顺 is the quintessential Cantonese way to express reaching one's limit, whether physical, emotional, or situational. Unlike the more formal 受不了, this phrase carries a visceral sense of being pushed past a breaking point. It is frequently used with the potential infix 得 or 唔 to create the common patterns 頂得順 and 頂唔順.
Related words
Common phrases
cannot stand the pressure
cannot stand him/her
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 受不了 in casual conversation, but it sounds stiff and bookish. Always prefer 頂唔順 when speaking to friends or colleagues to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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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).
