唔係
m4 hai6
The Cantonese way to say no is 唔係 (m4 hai6).
唔係 is used to show disagreement or negation. It is specifically used to negate a state of being or a factual assertion, essentially meaning 'It is not the case'. If you want to make a correction sound softer and more natural in spoken conversation, you can say 唔係呀.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 唔係 is composed of 唔, meaning 'not' and 係, meaning 'to be', so it literally means 'is not'.
Which one should you use?
While the English word 'no' can be used as a standalone particle in many contexts, 唔係 is used specifically to negate a state of being or a factual assertion.
How do you pronounce it?
m4 hai6
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 唔係 to mean 'I don't have' or 'I don't want'. This phrase only negates the verb 'to be' or a specific identity/fact.
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the word 唔 is used for many types of 'no' and it sounds like the English word 'm'. Because of this, some speakers use a humming sound or a slight 'm' noise as a casual way to signal negation.
- While 唔係 is the factual 'no', Cantonese speakers often use 唔好 to say 'no' when they are telling someone not to do something. The latter literally means 'not good' but functions as a command to stop.
- In written formal Chinese, the negation is often 不是, but in spoken Cantonese, this is replaced by 唔係. This is a prime example of how the spoken dialect differs significantly from the formal written standard.
Examples in context
- 我唔係初哥嚟㗎喇。I'm no longer a rookie.This example shows how to use 唔係 to negate a state of being.Tatoeba #5797651 by nickyeow, translation #5265485 by CK
- 唔係呀，佢出咗去食晏喇。No, he has gone out for lunch already.This example demonstrates using 唔係 to correct a factual assertion.Tatoeba #6082303 by nickyeow, translation #66803 by Alkrasnov
- 可以話係，亦都可以話唔係。Yes and no.This example shows how 唔係 can be used to express a 'no' in a 'yes and no' context.Tatoeba #1569795 by nickyeow, translation #51133 by shanghainese
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a project deadline.
- 子健 Tsz Kin聽日就係截止日期，係咪？ting1 jat6 zau6 hai6 git3 zi2 jat6 kei4, hai6 mai6?Tomorrow is the deadline, right?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung唔係，後日先係。m4 hai6, hau6 jat6 sin1 hai6.No, it's actually the day after tomorrow.
- 子健 Tsz Kin咁我就放心喇。gam2 ngo5 zau6 fong3 sam1 laa3.Then I can relax.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung記得準時交就得。gei3 gak3 zeon2 si4 gaau1 zau6 dak1.Just remember to hand it in on time.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
