不

Not (Formal Negation)

Level 6Sounds Like bat1

不 (bat1) is the formal counterpart to the everyday negator 唔 (m4). While you use 唔 in daily speech, you will see 不 in signs, news broadcasts, and formal writing.

How It Works

1. Register and Usage
Cantonese is diglossic, meaning it has distinct spoken and written forms. 不 (bat1) is the standard negator for written contexts. In spoken Cantonese, it is almost exclusively found in:

  • Formal Announcements: Public signs or official government broadcasts.
  • Fixed Idioms: Four-character idioms (Chengyu) like 不可思議 (bat1 ho2 si1 ji5 - inconceivable).
  • Lexicalized Compounds: Words where the negation is 'baked in,' such as 不准 (bat1 zeon2 - not allowed) or 不利 (bat1 lei6 - unfavorable).

2. Phonology
Unlike Mandarin, where the tone of 'bù' changes depending on the following word, the Cantonese 不 (bat1) always maintains a high-stop tone (Tone 1).

3. Comparison with 唔 (m4)
If you want to say 'I don't know,' you say 我唔知 (ngo5 m4 zi1). If you see a formal document, it might write 我不知 (ngo5 bat1 zi1). In a casual setting, using 不 (bat1) makes you sound overly stiff or like you are speaking Mandarin with Cantonese pronunciation.

Examples (5)

  1. 不准在此處泊車。

    Parking is not allowed here.

    Word by Word: Not allow at this place park car.

    This is a standard formal sign. 不准 (bat1 zeon2) is the formal way to say 'not allowed' or 'prohibited'.

  2. 呢件事真係不可思議。

    This matter is truly inconceivable.

    Word by Word: This [classifier] matter really is not can think discuss.

    不可思議 (bat1 ho2 si1 ji5) is a common idiom used even in speech. In these fixed expressions, 不 (bat1) is never replaced by 唔 (m4).

  3. 此地不宜久留。

    It is not advisable to stay here for long.

    Word by Word: This place not suitable long stay.

    This uses a literary tone often found in movies or formal advice. 不宜 (bat1 ji4) means 'unsuitable' or 'not advisable'.

  4. 佢對我不聞不問。

    He completely ignored me.

    Word by Word: He toward me not hear not ask.

    不聞不問 (bat1 man4 bat1 man6) is a set phrase meaning to show no interest or concern.

  5. 如有不滿，請聯絡我哋。

    If you have any dissatisfaction, please contact us.

    Word by Word: If have not full, please contact us.

    Used in a formal customer service context. 不滿 (bat1 mun5) is the formal term for 'dissatisfied'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 不 (bat1) for general negation in casual speech.

    我不食牛肉。
    我唔食牛肉。

    In daily life, always use 唔 (m4). Using 不 (bat1) here sounds like you are translating directly from Mandarin or reading a script.

  • Attempting to negate 'to have' (jau5) with 不 (bat1).

    我不有錢。
    我冇錢。

    Even in formal writing, the negation of 'to have' is usually 冇 (mou5) or the formal written equivalent 沒有 (mut6 jau5). 'Bat1 jau5' is not a valid construction.

  • Applying Mandarin tone sandhi to 不 (bat1).

    bat2 zeon2 (rising tone)
    bat1 zeon2 (high tone)

    In Cantonese, 不 (bat1) is always Tone 1. It does not change to Tone 2 before other tones like it does in Mandarin.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

不Level 6Not (Formal Negation)

Learn This First

To understand '不', a learner must first be comfortable with the standard colloquial negator '唔'. Because '不' belongs to a higher register, the learner also needs to understand the concept of written Cantonese (書面語) and be able to recognize the character in formal texts.

Words in This Pattern