明知...都...

Even Though One Knows Better

Level 5Sounds Like ming4 zi1 . . . dou1 . . .

Use 明知...都... (ming4 zi1... dou1...) to express 'Even though [subject] clearly knows [X], [subject] still [Y].' It highlights stubbornness or persistence.

How It Works

The structure 明知...都... is a staple of spoken Cantonese used to highlight the contrast between knowledge and action.

1. Structure and Placement
The subject can be placed either at the very beginning or right before the 都 (dou1) marker:

  • [Subject] + 明知 + [Fact] + 都 + [Action]
  • 明知 + [Fact] + [Subject] + 都 + [Action]

2. Pragmatic Nuance
Unlike the neutral 雖然...但係... (seoi1 jin4... daan6 hai6...), this pattern carries a sense of 'doing it anyway.' It often describes human folly, irony, or a refusal to give up. For example, 'knowing it's bad for health but eating it anyway.'

3. Emphasizing Persistence
The second clause is frequently reinforced with additional adverbs to show the subject's intent:

  • 仲 (zung6): 'Still' — 佢明知好貴都仲買 (He knows it's expensive but still buys it).
  • 照 (ziu3): 'Anyway/As usual' — 明知落雨佢都照去 (Knowing it's raining, he goes anyway).
  • 偏偏 (pin1 pin1): 'Insistently/Contrary to expectation' — 明知冇用佢都偏偏要試 (Knowing it's useless, he insists on trying anyway).

Examples (4)

  1. 佢明知聽日要考試，都仲去玩。

    He clearly knows he has an exam tomorrow, but he's still going out to play.

    Word by Word: He clearly-know tomorrow need exam, also still go play.

    This uses 仲 (zung6) to emphasize the irrationality of the action given the upcoming exam.

  2. 我明知呢間餐廳好難食，都想試下。

    I know perfectly well this restaurant is bad, but I still want to try it.

    Word by Word: I clearly-know this classifier restaurant very hard-eat, also want try-a-bit.

    Here, the speaker acknowledges the negative fact but expresses a personal desire to proceed anyway.

  3. 明知冇可能，佢都唔肯放棄。

    Even though he knows it's impossible, he refuses to give up.

    Word by Word: Clearly-know no possibility, he also not willing give-up.

    This demonstrates the 'noble persistence' nuance where the subject refuses to yield to a known fact.

  4. 你明知佢唔鍾意，都仲要講？

    You clearly know he doesn't like it, yet you still insist on saying it?

    Word by Word: You clearly-know he not like, also still-want speak?

    This is a common way to criticize someone for being insensitive or provocative.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking 都 (dou1) is required.

    Different Meaning佢明知好貴仲買。
    佢明知好貴都仲買。

    佢明知好貴仲買 is natural: 仲 (zung6) already carries the 'still' feeling. Adding 都, as in 佢明知好貴都仲買, strengthens the 'even though' tone.

  • Using '明知' for hypothetical situations.

    明知聽日落雨，我就唔去。
    就算聽日落雨，我都唔去。

    If you are guessing or talking about a possibility, use 就算...都... (zau6 syun3... dou1...). '明知' is only for facts the subject is currently aware of.

How It Connects

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

明知...都...Level 5Even Though One Knows Better

Learn This First

To understand '明知...都...', you need to be familiar with the basic use of '都' for emphasis and the general structure of concessive sentences (even though... still...). The pattern specifically combines the concept of 'clearly knowing' (明知) with the persistence marker '都' to show someone doing something despite knowing the consequences or facts.

Words in This Pattern

明知