Translingual
edit
Glyph origin
edit
From the removal of the two inner strokes from 有 (“to have”).
Attested at least since 1672, in 《星餘筆記》 by 王鉞:
寧俗樸鄙所陳牒訴多用土俗書，初見駭愕，習閒亦各有義意，令略記數字：……冇，音茂，謂無有也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
宁俗朴鄙所陈牒诉多用土俗书，初见骇愕，习闲亦各有义意，令略记数字：……冇，音茂，谓无有也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: 清・王鉞《星餘筆記》
- Níng sú pǔbǐ suǒ chén diésù duō yòng tǔsú shū, chūjiàn hài'è, xíxián yì gè yǒu yìyì, lìng lüèjì shùzì:...... 冇, yīn mào, wèi wúyǒu yě. [Pinyin]
- When filing pleas, peasants in the Ning county (西寧縣, modern 鬱南縣) often use the local popular writing, it is peculiar when first seen, but when accustomed, each has its meaning, for example: [...] 冇, sounds like 茂, means "to not have".
Etymology 1
edit
From 無 (MC mju, “to not have”). In some varieties, such as Cantonese and Xiang, there seems to be fusion or analogy with 有 (MC hjuwX, “to have”) (Chan, 1998; Schuessler, 2007).
Pronunciation
edit
Note:
- mǎo - conjected from Cantonese;
- mǒu - directly from Cantonese.
Note:
- mau5 - “have not; did not”;
- mau6 - “to not have” (contraction of 冇得).
Definitions
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冇
- (dialectal Mandarin, Cantonese, dialectal Gan, Hakka, dialectal Wu, Xiang) to not have; to not exist
- 冇理由㗎。 [Cantonese] ― mou5 lei5 jau4 gaa3. [Jyutping] ― Impossible.
- (dialectal Mandarin, Cantonese, Xiang) have not; did not (do something) (indicating non-completion of a verb)
我冇同佢講。 [Cantonese, trad.]
我冇同佢讲。 [Cantonese, simp.]- ngo5 mou5 tung4 keoi5 gong2. [Jyutping]
- I did not tell him.
佢幾個月都冇嚟。 [Cantonese, trad.]
佢几个月都冇嚟。 [Cantonese, simp.]- keoi5 gei2 go3 jyut6 dou1 mou5 lai4. [Jyutping]
- He hasn't come for a few months.
- (dialectal Cantonese, Nanning Pinghua) not (negator)
Usage notes
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- Originally from Cantonese, many Mandarin speakers now understand the meaning of this character.
Synonyms
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Dialectal synonyms of
沒有 (“to not have (+ noun)”)
[map]
| Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
| Classical Chinese
|
無, 無有
|
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
沒有
|
| Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
沒有, 沒
|
| Taiwan
|
沒有, 沒
|
| Jinan
|
沒有, 沒
|
| Xi'an
|
沒有
|
| Wuhan
|
冇得
|
| Chengdu
|
沒得
|
| Guilin
|
沒得
|
| Yangzhou
|
不得, 沒得
|
| Hefei
|
沒
|
| Malaysia
|
沒有, 沒
|
| Singapore
|
沒有, 沒
|
| Dagudi (Maliba)
|
不有
|
| Reshuitang (Longling)
|
不有
|
| Mae Salong (Lancang)
|
不有
|
| Mae Sai (Tengchong)
|
不有
|
| Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Hong Kong
|
冇
|
| Taishan
|
冇
|
| Hepu (Lianzhou)
|
冇有
|
| Hepu (Shatian)
|
冇有
|
| Beihai
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Beihai (Nankang)
|
冇
|
| Beihai (Yingpan)
|
冇有
|
| Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
冇
|
| Penang (Guangfu)
|
冇
|
| Singapore (Guangfu)
|
冇
|
| Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)
|
冇
|
| Móng Cái
|
冇, 冇有
|
| Gan
|
Nanchang
|
冒有, 冇
|
| Hakka
|
Meixian
|
無
|
| Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
無
|
| Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
無
|
| Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
無
|
| Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
無
|
| Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
無
|
| Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
無
|
| Singapore (Dabu)
|
無
|
| Huizhou
|
Jixi
|
沒
|
| Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
沒, 沒啦
|
| Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
無
|
| Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
無
|
| Singapore (Fuqing)
|
無
|
| Sitiawan (Gutian)
|
無
|
| Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
無
|
| Quanzhou
|
無
|
| Zhangzhou
|
無
|
| Zhao'an
|
無
|
| Taipei
|
無
|
| New Taipei (Sanxia)
|
無
|
| Kaohsiung
|
無
|
| Yilan
|
無
|
| Changhua (Lukang)
|
無
|
| Taichung
|
無
|
| Tainan
|
無
|
| Hsinchu
|
無
|
| Kinmen
|
無
|
| Penghu (Magong)
|
無
|
| Penang (Hokkien)
|
無
|
| Singapore (Hokkien)
|
無
|
| Manila (Hokkien)
|
無
|
| Chaozhou
|
無
|
| Shantou
|
無
|
| Shantou (Chaoyang)
|
無
|
| Jieyang
|
無
|
| Haifeng
|
無
|
| Bangkok (Teochew)
|
無
|
| Singapore (Teochew)
|
無
|
| Batam (Teochew)
|
無
|
| Pontianak (Teochew)
|
無
|
| Wenchang
|
無
|
| Qionghai
|
無
|
| Singapore (Hainanese)
|
無
|
| Zhongshan Min
|
Shaxi (Longdu)
|
無
|
| Wu
|
Shanghai
|
嘸沒, 嘸 dated
|
| Suzhou
|
嘸不
|
| Hangzhou
|
沒有
|
| Hangzhou (Yuhang)
|
嘸不
|
| Shaoxing
|
唔有
|
| Ningbo
|
嘸沒, 嘸 dated
|
| Wenzhou
|
冇
|
| Jinhua
|
嘸, 嘸沒
|
| Xiang
|
Changsha
|
冇得, 冇
|
| Shuangfeng
|
冇得
|
Dialectal synonyms of
不 (“not”)
[map]
| Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
| Classical Chinese
|
不, 弗, 毋, 勿, 莫, 否, 未
|
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
不
|
| Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
不
|
| Taiwan
|
不
|
| Tianjin
|
不
|
| Chengde
|
不
|
| Tangshan
|
不
|
| Cangzhou
|
不
|
| Baoding
|
不
|
| Shijiazhuang
|
不
|
| Chifeng
|
不
|
| Hulunbuir (Hailar)
|
不
|
| Heihe
|
不
|
| Qiqihar
|
不
|
| Harbin
|
不
|
| Jiamusi
|
不
|
| Baicheng
|
不
|
| Changchun
|
不
|
| Tonghua
|
不
|
| Shenyang
|
不
|
| Dandong
|
不
|
| Jinzhou
|
不
|
| Dalian
|
不
|
| Yantai
|
不
|
| Yantai (Muping)
|
不
|
| Qingdao
|
不
|
| Lijin
|
不
|
| Zhucheng
|
不
|
| Jinan
|
不
|
| Luoyang
|
不
|
| Wanrong
|
不
|
| Shangqiu
|
不
|
| Yuanyang
|
不
|
| Zhengzhou
|
不
|
| Lingbao
|
不
|
| Xinyang
|
不
|
| Baihe
|
不
|
| Xi'an
|
不
|
| Baoji
|
不
|
| Yinchuan
|
不
|
| Tianshui
|
不
|
| Lanzhou
|
不
|
| Dunhuang
|
不
|
| Xining
|
不
|
| Hami
|
不
|
| Ürümqi
|
不
|
| Wuhan
|
不
|
| Yichang
|
不
|
| Xiangyang
|
不
|
| Tianmen
|
不
|
| Hong'an
|
不
|
| Chengdu
|
不
|
| Nanchong
|
不
|
| Dazhou
|
不
|
| Hanyuan
|
不
|
| Xichang
|
不
|
| Zigong
|
不
|
| Chongqing
|
不
|
| Guiyang
|
不
|
| Zunyi
|
不
|
| Bijie
|
不
|
| Zhaotong
|
不
|
| Dali
|
不
|
| Kunming
|
不
|
| Mengzi
|
不
|
| Guilin
|
不
|
| Liuzhou
|
沒, 不
|
| Changde
|
不
|
| Anqing
|
不
|
| Xuzhou
|
不
|
| Fuyang
|
不
|
| Wuhu
|
不
|
| Yangzhou
|
不
|
| Lianyungang
|
不
|
| Lianshui
|
不
|
| Nanjing
|
不
|
| Hefei
|
不
|
| Nantong
|
不
|
| Malaysia
|
不
|
| Singapore
|
不
|
| Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
唔
|
| Hong Kong
|
唔
|
| Macau
|
唔
|
| Taishan
|
唔
|
| Dongguan
|
唔
|
| Yangjiang
|
無
|
| Hepu (Lianzhou)
|
冇
|
| Hepu (Shatian)
|
冇
|
| Beihai
|
冇
|
| Beihai (Nankang)
|
冇
|
| Beihai (Yingpan)
|
冇
|
| Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)
|
冇
|
| Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)
|
冇
|
| Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)
|
冇
|
| Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
唔
|
| Singapore (Guangfu)
|
唔
|
| Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)
|
唔
|
| Móng Cái
|
冇
|
| Gan
|
Nanchang
|
不
|
| Lichuan
|
不
|
| Pingxiang
|
毋
|
| Jianning
|
唔
|
| Hakka
|
Meixian
|
唔
|
| Xingning
|
唔
|
| Huidong (Daling)
|
唔
|
| Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
唔
|
| Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
|
唔
|
| Changting
|
唔
|
| Shanghang
|
唔
|
| Wuping
|
唔
|
| Wuping (Pingyu)
|
唔
|
| Liancheng
|
唔
|
| Ninghua
|
唔, 不
|
| Qingliu
|
唔
|
| Yudu
|
唔
|
| Ruijin
|
唔
|
| Shicheng
|
唔
|
| Shangyou (Shexi)
|
唔
|
| Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
毋
|
| Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
毋
|
| Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
毋
|
| Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
毋
|
| Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
毋
|
| Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
毋
|
| Huizhou
|
Jixi
|
不
|
| Shexian
|
不
|
| Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
不
|
| Yangyuan
|
不
|
| Datong
|
不
|
| Xinzhou
|
不
|
| Lishi
|
不
|
| Linfen
|
不
|
| Changzhi
|
不
|
| Linhe
|
不
|
| Jining
|
不
|
| Hohhot
|
不
|
| Erenhot
|
不
|
| Pingshan
|
不
|
| Zhangjiakou
|
不
|
| Handan
|
不
|
| Linzhou
|
不
|
| Suide
|
不
|
| Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Songxi
|
唔, 𣍐
|
| Zhenghe
|
唔, 𣍐
|
| Pucheng (Shibei)
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Changle
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Lianjiang
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Fuqing
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Pingtan
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Yongtai
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Minqing
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Gutian
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Pingnan
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Luoyuan
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Fu'an
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Ningde
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Xiapu
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Zherong
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Shouning
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Zhouning
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Fuding
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Matsu
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Xiamen (Tong'an)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Quanzhou
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Jinjiang
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Nan'an
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Shishi
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Hui'an
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Anxi
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Yongchun
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Dehua
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Zhangzhou
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Zhangzhou (Longhai)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Zhangzhou (Changtai)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Hua'an
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Nanjing
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Pinghe
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Zhangpu
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Yunxiao
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Zhao'an
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Dongshan
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Taipei
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Kaohsiung
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Tainan
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Kinmen
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Penang (Hokkien)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Singapore (Hokkien)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Manila (Hokkien)
|
毋, 𣍐, 無
|
| Datian
|
毋, 𣍐
|
| Chaozhou
|
唔, 𣍐, 無
|
| Shantou
|
唔, 𣍐, 無
|
| Jieyang
|
唔
|
| Haifeng
|
唔
|
| Singapore (Teochew)
|
唔, 𣍐, 無
|
| Batam (Teochew)
|
唔, 𣍐, 無
|
| Pontianak (Teochew)
|
唔
|
| Leizhou
|
伓
|
| Wenchang
|
無
|
| Haikou
|
無
|
| Singapore (Hainanese)
|
無
|
| Puxian Min
|
Putian
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Xianyou
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Central Min
|
Yong'an
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Shaxian
|
伓, 𣍐
|
| Shaojiang Min
|
Shaowu
|
冒, 唔
|
| Guangze
|
唔
|
| Jiangle
|
唔
|
| Mingxi
|
唔
|
| Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
冇
|
| Wu
|
Shanghai
|
勿
|
| Shanghai (Chongming)
|
弗, 勿
|
| Suzhou
|
弗
|
| Wuxi
|
弗
|
| Danyang
|
弗
|
| Hangzhou
|
不
|
| Ningbo
|
勿, 嘸沒
|
| Wenzhou
|
不
|
| Lishui
|
弗
|
| Qingyuan
|
否
|
| Jinhua
|
弗
|
| Xiang
|
Changsha
|
不, 唔
|
| Loudi
|
不
|
| Shuangfeng
|
不
|
Compounds
edit
Etymology 2
edit
Compare Saek [script needed] (phoongC2, “hollow; hole (in a tree, bamboo)”), Proto-Bahnaric *pɔːŋ (“hollow; flattened”) (Schuessler, 2007).
This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Pronunciation
edit
Definitions
edit
冇
- (Min, Hakka) empty; hollow; spongy; not sturdy
- 冇柴 [Hokkien] ― phàⁿ-chhâ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― porous wood
- (Min, Hakka) unreliable; undependable; casual
- (Southern Min) extravagant; generous
- 冇手 [Hokkien] ― phàⁿ-chhiú [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― generous
- (Hakka) insufficient; lacking
Etymology 3
edit
Pronunciation
edit
Definitions
edit
冇
- (Cantonese) Contraction of 唔好 (m4 hou2, “don't”).
- 冇煩我！／冇烦我！ [Cantonese] ― mou2 faan4 ngo5! [Jyutping] ― Don't annoy me!
Synonyms
edit
Dialectal synonyms of
別 (“do not”)
[map]
| Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
| Classical Chinese
|
勿, 莫1, 毋, 無
|
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
別, 不要, 別要 chiefly Hong Kong
|
| Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
別, 別價
|
| Taiwan
|
別, 不要
|
| Harbin
|
別
|
| Yantai (Muping)
|
別
|
| Jinan
|
別, 別價, 甭價, 不要
|
| Luoyang
|
嫑, 甭1, 休
|
| Wanrong
|
嫑, 不要
|
| Xi'an
|
嫑, 不敢
|
| Lanzhou
|
不要
|
| Xining
|
嫑
|
| Ürümqi
|
嫑
|
| Wuhan
|
莫1, 不
|
| Chengdu
|
莫1, 不要, 嫑
|
| Guiyang
|
不要
|
| Guilin
|
莫1
|
| Liuzhou
|
莫1, 莫要
|
| Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine)
|
莫1
|
| Xuzhou
|
嫑, 休
|
| Yangzhou
|
莫1, 不要
|
| Nanjing
|
不要
|
| Hefei
|
別, 不要
|
| Malaysia
|
不要
|
| Singapore
|
不要
|
| Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
咪, 咪個, 唔好
|
| Hong Kong
|
咪, 唔好, 冇
|
| Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)
|
唔好
|
| Macau
|
唔要
|
| Foshan (Shunde)
|
咪
|
| Zhongshan (Shiqi)
|
咪
|
| Zhuhai (Doumen)
|
唔好
|
| Taishan
|
唔好
|
| Kaiping (Chikan)
|
唔好
|
| Dongguan
|
咪, 唔好
|
| Shaoguan
|
咪
|
| Yunfu
|
咪, 唔好
|
| Yangjiang
|
莫1, 無好
|
| Xinyi
|
毛
|
| Lianjiang
|
冇
|
| Nanning
|
冇要
|
| Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
咪
|
| Singapore (Guangfu)
|
咪, 唔好
|
| Gan
|
Nanchang
|
莫1
|
| Lichuan
|
毋要, 不要
|
| Pingxiang
|
不要
|
| Hakka
|
Meixian
|
莫1, 毋愛, 毋好
|
| Xingning
|
毋愛
|
| Huidong (Daling)
|
毋好
|
| Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
毋好
|
| Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
|
毋好
|
| Changting
|
毋要
|
| Liancheng
|
毋要
|
| Ninghua
|
毋要
|
| Yudu
|
毋要, 毋敢
|
| Ruijin
|
毋要
|
| Shicheng
|
毋要
|
| Shangyou (Shexi)
|
毋要
|
| Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
毋好
|
| Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
毋好
|
| Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
毋好
|
| Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
毋好
|
| Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
毋好
|
| Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
毋好
|
| Hong Kong
|
毋好
|
| Sabah (Longchuan)
|
毋愛
|
| Senai (Huiyang)
|
毋好
|
| Kuching (Hepo)
|
唔愛
|
| Huizhou
|
Jixi
|
不要, 嫑
|
| Shexian
|
不要, 嫑
|
| Tunxi
|
不要, 嫑
|
| Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
不要, 不敢
|
| Xinzhou
|
不要, 嫑, 播
|
| Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
伓敢, 伓讓, 毋
|
| Pucheng (Shibei)
|
伓敢
|
| Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
伓通, 毋
|
| Fuqing
|
伓通
|
| Matsu
|
毋
|
| Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
毋通, 毋愛, 莫2, 𱰠, 莫用
|
| Quanzhou
|
毋通, 毋愛, 甭2, 莫用
|
| Zhangzhou
|
毋通, 莫2, 甭2, 𱰠, 莫用
|
| Zhao'an
|
孬
|
| Taipei
|
莫2
|
| New Taipei (Sanxia)
|
莫去
|
| Kaohsiung
|
莫2
|
| Yilan
|
毋通, 莫2
|
| Changhua (Lukang)
|
莫2
|
| Tainan
|
莫2, 甭2
|
| Penang (Hokkien)
|
莫2, 毋通, 甭2
|
| Singapore (Hokkien)
|
莫2, 毋通, 甭2
|
| Manila (Hokkien)
|
毋通, 甭2
|
| Pingnan (Shangdu)
|
別
|
| Chaozhou
|
孬, 莫2
|
| Shantou
|
孬, 莫2
|
| Shantou (Chaoyang)
|
莫2
|
| Haifeng
|
莫2
|
| Ho Chi Minh City (Teochew)
|
孬
|
| Johor Bahru (Teochew)
|
孬
|
| Penang (Teochew)
|
莫2
|
| Singapore (Teochew)
|
莫2, 孬
|
| Leizhou
|
無地
|
| Haikou
|
無用, 莫2, 無莫
|
| Qionghai
|
無用
|
| Singapore (Hainanese)
|
無用
|
| Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
冇要
|
| Wu
|
Shanghai
|
勿要, 𧟰
|
| Shanghai (Chongming)
|
拗
|
| Suzhou
|
𧟰
|
| Wuxi
|
𧟰
|
| Haimen
|
拗, 拗要, 弗要
|
| Danyang
|
弗要, 𫸻
|
| Hangzhou
|
嫑
|
| Hangzhou (Yuhang)
|
弗要, 消, 𧟰
|
| Ningbo
|
莫, 甮
|
| Wenzhou
|
𧟰
|
| Lishui
|
⿰毋樂
|
| Qingyuan
|
⿰否樂
|
| Jinhua
|
𫸻, 弗要, 弗用
|
| Xiang
|
Changsha
|
莫1, 不要
|
| Loudi
|
不要, 莫1
|
| Shuangfeng
|
莫1
|
| Quanzhou
|
別
|
See also
edit
Etymology 4
edit
From etymology 1, with rising intonation.
Pronunciation
edit
Definitions
edit
冇
- (Cantonese, uncommon or dated) Used at the end of questions to ask if one has done something yet.
- Synonym: 未 (mei6)
- 食咗飯冇？／食咗饭冇？ [Cantonese] ― sik6 zo2 faan6 mou2? [Jyutping] ― Have you eaten?
(Can we date this quote?), 郊遊前 準備好 聯繫方法要知道, 通訊事務管理局 [Communications Authority]:
我哋收到喇，你又收到冇？ [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]- ngo5 dei6 sau1 dou3-2 laa3, nei5 jau6 sau1 dou3-2 mou2? [Jyutping]
- We've received it. What about you?
References
edit
Vietnamese
edit
Han character
edit
冇: Hán Nôm readings: mậu
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
{{rfdef}}.
