V+唔順

Cannot Put Up with

Level 4Sounds Like m4 seon6

The pattern V + 唔順 (m4 seon6) indicates that an action cannot be performed in a way that is 'smooth' or acceptable to the subject. It is most commonly used in the fixed expression 頂唔順 (ding2 m4 seon6), meaning 'cannot stand' or 'cannot tolerate'.

How It Works

This pattern is a staple of colloquial Cantonese. It is primarily used with a few specific verbs to describe things that 'grate' on the senses or the mind:

  • 頂唔順 (ding2 m4 seon6): The most frequent usage. 頂 (ding2) means to prop up or withstand. Together, it means 'cannot tolerate' or 'can't take it anymore.' It applies to heat, noise, people, or workloads.
  • 睇唔順眼 (tai2 m4 seon6 ngaan5): Literally 'cannot look smoothly at the eye.' It means to find something offensive to the eye or to dislike someone's behavior.
  • 聽唔順耳 (teng1 m4 seon6 ji5): Literally 'cannot hear smoothly at the ear.' It means to find something offensive to the ear, like a grating voice or an arrogant comment.

Object Placement:
For the short form 頂唔順, the object can be placed at the end (頂唔順佢) or split the phrase (頂佢唔順). However, for the four-character idioms like 睇唔順眼 or 聽唔順耳, the object normally splits the phrase, following the verb directly: 睇佢唔順眼 (tai2 keoi5 m4 seon6 ngaan5).

Affirmative Form:
To indicate that something is tolerable or pleasing, replace 唔 (m4) with 得 (dak1). For example, 頂得順 (ding2 dak1 seon6) means 'can tolerate it' and 睇得順眼 (tai2 dak1 seon6 ngaan5) means 'pleasing to the eye'.

Examples (4)

  1. 今日咁熱，我真係頂唔順喇！

    It's so hot today, I really can't stand it!

    Word by Word: Today so hot, I really withstand not smooth [particle]!

    Here, 頂唔順 (ding2 m4 seon6) refers to physical discomfort caused by the weather.

  2. 佢份人好自大，好多同事都頂佢唔順。

    He is very arrogant; many colleagues can't put up with him.

    Word by Word: He [classifier] person very arrogant, many colleagues all withstand him not smooth.

    This shows the 'split' structure where the object 佢 (keoi5) is placed between the verb and the complement.

  3. 我睇佢嗰副嘴臉唔順眼。

    I can't stand the look of his [arrogant] face.

    Word by Word: I look he that [classifier] face not smooth eye.

    For the four-character idiom 睇唔順眼 (tai2 m4 seon6 ngaan5), the object normally follows the verb directly.

  4. 啲嘢食咁難食，我真係食唔落，直情頂唔順。

    The food is so bad, I really can't eat it; I simply can't stand it.

    Word by Word: Those food so bad-eat, I really eat not down, simply withstand not smooth.

    This compares 食唔落 (cannot bring oneself to eat) with 頂唔順 (cannot tolerate).

Common Mistakes

  • Using the pattern in formal writing or professional contexts.

    本人對此安排頂唔順。
    本人難以忍受此安排。

    頂唔順 (ding2 m4 seon6) is highly colloquial. In formal writing, use 受不了 (sau6 bat1 liu5) or 難以忍受 (naan4 ji5 jan2 sau6).

  • Confusing 頂唔順 with 頂唔住.

    個架太重，我頂唔順。
    個架太重，我頂唔住。

    頂唔住 (ding2 m4 zyu6) is for physical weight or pressure (literally 'cannot hold up'). 頂唔順 is for tolerance and annoyance.

How It Connects

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

V+唔順Level 4Cannot Put Up with

Learn This First

The pattern 'V+唔順' (cannot put up with) is a fixed potential construction. To understand it, learners need to be familiar with the general structure of negative potential complements (V + 唔 + Complement) and the basic negation particle '唔'.

Words in This Pattern

唔顺顺