siu2 bat1 liu5少不了
Jyutpingsiu2 bat1 liu5
Yalesíu bāt líuh
Definition
Cannot do without, or unavoidable.
- cannot do without; indispensable
- unavoidable; bound to happen
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on necessity or inevitability within a specific situation. It often implies that something is an essential component of an experience or a required step in a process. While it can mean something is physically missing, it is more frequently used to emphasize that a certain outcome or element is expected and cannot be bypassed.
Examples
Organizing this event will inevitably require finding people to help.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 唔少, which simply means a large quantity. Remember that 少不了 carries the specific nuance of being indispensable or unavoidable, whereas 唔少 is a quantitative description.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
