咪...住

Don't … Yet

Level 3

Use 咪 (mai5) + [Verb Phrase] + 住 (zyu6) to tell someone to delay an action. It means 'don't do it for now' or 'don't do it yet.'

How It Works

In Cantonese, when you want to tell someone to hold off on an action, you use this 'sandwich' structure.

1. The Components:

  • 咪 (mai5): A blunt, colloquial contraction of 唔好 (m4 hou2), meaning 'don't'.
  • 住 (zyu6): In this specific context, it is a verbal particle that indicates a temporary state or delay. It translates to 'yet' or 'for the time being'.

2. Word Order:
The particle 住 (zyu6) often comes at the end of the verb phrase, after the object, though it can also follow the verb directly. For example, 'Don't eat rice yet' is 咪 (don't) + 食飯 (eat rice) + 住 (yet).

3. Nuance and Register:
This pattern is extremely common in spoken Cantonese (Hong Kong and Guangzhou). It implies that the action will or can happen later, just not right now. Without the 住 (zyu6), a command like 咪走 (mai5 zau2) sounds like a permanent 'Don't leave,' whereas 咪走住 (mai5 zau2 zyu6) sounds like 'Don't leave yet (stay a bit longer).'

Examples (5)

  1. 咪走住！

    Don't leave yet!

    Word by Word: Don't leave yet!

    A very common way to ask someone to stay a little longer.

  2. 咪食住，等埋爸爸先。

    Don't eat yet; wait for Dad first.

    Word by Word: Don't eat yet, wait-together Dad first.

    Here, 住 (zyu6) follows the verb directly because there is no object. 先 (sin1) is used in the second clause to mean 'first'.

  3. 咪話佢住，等我同佢講。

    Don't tell him yet; wait for me to talk to him.

    Word by Word: Don't tell him yet, wait me with him talk.

    話 (waa6) here means to tell or scold. The 住 (zyu6) comes after the object 佢 (keoi5).

  4. 咪買呢件衫住，聽日減價呀。

    Don't buy this shirt yet; it's on sale tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Don't buy this piece shirt yet, tomorrow reduce price [particle].

    Notice how 住 (zyu6) is placed after the entire noun phrase 'this shirt'.

  5. 咪開門住，我未換好衫。

    Don't open the door yet; I haven't finished changing clothes.

    Word by Word: Don't open door yet, I not-yet change-good clothes.

    The speaker uses 未 (mei6) to explain why the action should be delayed.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 住 (zyu6) before the object.

    Different Meaning咪食住飯。
    咪食飯住。

    咪食住飯 is a normal sentence, but with 住 (zyu6) right after the verb it means 'don't do it while eating'. For 'don't eat yet', put 住 after the object: 咪食飯住.

  • Confusing the tone of 咪 (mai5) with 咪 (mai6).

    咪(mai6)走住。
    咪(mai5)走住。

    咪 (mai5) with a low-rising tone means 'don't'. 咪 (mai6) with a low-flat tone is a contraction of 唔係 (m4 hai6) and means 'isn't it' or 'then'.

How It Connects

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

咪...住Level 3Don't … Yet

Learn This First

To understand '咪...住' (Don't... yet), you need to be familiar with the blunt negative imperative '咪' and the durative aspect marker '住', which together create the meaning of delaying an action.

Words in This Pattern

咪