冇可能

Impossible

Level 3Sounds Like mou5 ho2 nang4

冇可能 (mou5 ho2 nang4) is the standard way to say "impossible" or "no way" in spoken Cantonese. It combines 冇 (mou5; not have) with 可能 (ho2 nang4; possibility).

How It Works

1. Basic Usage
冇可能 (mou5 ho2 nang4) functions as a predicate. It can stand alone as a reaction or be part of a larger sentence.

  • Standalone: 冇可能㗎！ (mou5 ho2 nang4 gaa3!) - "That's impossible!"
  • With a clause: 冇可能 + [Action] means "It is impossible to [Action]." Note that for actions, it often sounds more natural to include a resultative verb like 做到 (zou6 dou2 - manage to do).

2. Asking Questions
To ask if something is possible, use the jau5 mou5 pattern:

  • 有冇可能聽日落雨呀？ (jau5 mou5 ho2 nang4 ting1 jat6 lok6 jyu5 aa3?) - "Is it possible it will rain tomorrow?"

3. Softening the Blow: 冇乜可能
If you want to say something is "hardly possible" or "very unlikely" without being 100% absolute, you can add mat1 (here meaning 'much'):

  • 冇乜可能咯。 (mou5 mat1 ho2 nang4 lok3.) - "It's not very likely now."

4. Adjectival Use
You can use it to describe a noun by adding ge3:

  • 冇可能嘅任務 (mou5 ho2 nang4 ge3 jam6 mou6) - "An impossible mission."

5. 冇可能 vs. 冇理由
While both can translate to "no way," they have different nuances:

  • 冇可能: Logical or physical impossibility (e.g., a human flying).
  • 冇理由 (mou5 lei5 jau4): "There's no reason for..." or "It makes no sense that..." (e.g., "There's no way he's late, he's always early").

6. The Role of Particles
Because this is a strong statement, it is often paired with sentence-final particles to sound natural:

  • 㗎 (gaa3): Used to emphasize a fact or remind the listener of reality.
  • 嘅 (ge3): Used to assert a firm stance.

7. Register Differences
It is vital to distinguish between spoken and written Cantonese:

  • Spoken: 冇可能 (mou5 ho2 nang4)
  • Formal/Written: 不可能 (bat1 ho2 nang4)

Examples (4)

  1. 冇可能㗎，我明明鎖咗門。

    That's impossible; I clearly locked the door.

    Word by Word: Not have possibility [particle], I clearly lock [completed] door.

    Here, 冇可能 is used to express disbelief about a situation that contradicts a known fact (the door being locked).

  2. 佢咁懶，冇可能考到第一。

    He's so lazy; it's impossible for him to come in first.

    Word by Word: He so lazy, not have possibility exam [attain] first.

    This uses 冇可能 to state a logical conclusion based on the subject's character.

  3. 聽日要交，今日先嚟做？冇可能做得晒。

    It's due tomorrow and you're only starting today? There's no way you can finish it all.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow need hand-in, today only-then come do? Not have possibility do [potential] all.

    This demonstrates 冇可能 combined with a potential complement to show a physical impossibility due to time.

  4. 係冇可能嘅，你唔好再諗喇。

    It is impossible; don't think about it anymore.

    Word by Word: Is not have possibility [particle], you not good again think [change of state].

    Adding 係 (hai6) before the phrase adds extra emphasis to the impossibility.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 唔 (m4) instead of 冇 (mou5) in 冇可能.

    Different Meaning佢唔可能㗎。
    佢冇可能㗎。

    Both are used. 冇可能 (mou5 ho2 nang4) is the more colloquial way to say 'impossible' in Cantonese, and 唔可能 (m4 ho2 nang4) is also common.

  • Using 'impossible' for simple future predictions.

    佢冇可能食飯。
    佢唔會食飯。

    If you are simply predicting that someone won't do something, use m4 wui5. Use 冇可能 (mou5 ho2 nang4) only when you mean it is physically or logically impossible for the action to occur.

How It Connects

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

冇可能Level 3Impossible

Learn This First

The pattern '冇可能' (impossible) is formed by combining the negative existential verb '冇' (to not have) with the modal/adjective '可能' (possible). To understand this, a learner needs to know how '冇' functions as a general negator for existence and how '可能' expresses possibility.

Words in This Pattern

冇可能