<p>I think people got lazy as the 之 is easier and quicker to write than 知 and both sound exactly the same in Cantonese. In any case everybody knows what it means, so no problem.</p>

<p>It's like "Christmas" and "Xmas"</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T11:00:56.953Z
2019-12-13T11:00:56.953Z
Wayne Cheah
<p>i would treat it as “話知”:</p>

<p>i acknowledge (知道) from your speech (說話) that . . . <strong>[but]</strong>. . .</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T08:41:48.430Z
Are you suggesting “話知” is the original, standard term and  "話之" was a mistake, but became too popular and was accepted as a valid variant  of “話知”?. It could be an answer.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T08:46:17.287Z
yes, imo, 話知 is the original. meanwhile, 話之 is acceptable, i would not say it’s a mistake. you know, write down the proper character for cantonese is, quite difficult :)
水巷孑蠻
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2019-12-13T08:28:33.287Z
2019-12-13T08:28:33.287Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>After exchanging comments with 水巷孑蠻 I did further research and found this entry in CantoDict</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/58523/" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>話知</em></a>: <em>used to express indifference on the part of the speaker</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>It confirmed "話之' and "話知" are indeed variant of each other. The question is: "which is the original?"</p>

<p>Base on my interpretation of "話之": ["say it" --> suppose --> suppose (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care], "話知" being the original would make more sense ["say knowing" --> say knowing (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care]</p>

<p>The answer to my original question: "...Or there's some other explanation? " would be:  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“<strong>話知</strong>” was the original, standard term for the meaning of "<strong>don't care</strong>" in Cantonese. And "話之" was a wrong way to write it because 知 and 之 are pronounced the same in Cantonese (<em>Wayne Cheah suggested that people got lazy</em>). Eventually, "話之"  was accepted as a valid variant of “話知” by dictionaries due to it's popularity</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T09:09:21.453Z
2019-12-13T15:24:22.643Z
2019-12-13T15:24:22.643Z
Tang Ho
<blockquote>
<p>CantoDict: <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/4820/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">話之</a></p>
<p>regardless of; no matter what; &quot;I don't care&quot; | Std. Chin.: 不管; 無論 | Syn.: 唔理 | Usu. in the form of 話之你; 話之佢 etc.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>粵典: <a href="https://words.hk/zidin/v/86577/%E8%A9%B1%E4%B9%8B/%E8%A9%B1%E7%9F%A5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">話之 / 話知</a></p>
<p>(yue) 唔理唔顧；無視</p>
<p>(eng) to ignore; to disregard; not to care; not to give a damn; used to &gt;express indifference on the part of the speaker</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example of 話之 in a sentence:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>話之</strong>佢死，最緊要我地走得甩 - <strong>Don't care</strong> if he would die, the most important thing is we can escape</p>
</li>
<li><p>我<strong>話之</strong>你係皇帝，冇位就係冇位 - I <strong>don't care</strong> if you were the emperor, If there's no seat, there's no seat.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>My thinking is:</p>
<p>&quot;話&quot; = &quot;say&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;之&quot; = &quot;it&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;話之&quot; = &quot;say it&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;say it&quot; --&gt; suppose --&gt; suppose (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care</p>
</blockquote>
<p>replace &quot;don't care&quot; with &quot;say it&quot; in English:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>話之</strong>佢死，最緊要我地走得甩 - <strong>Say</strong> if he would die, the most important thing is we can escape</p>
</li>
<li><p>我<strong>話之</strong>你係皇帝，冇位就係冇位 - I <strong>say</strong> if you were the emperor, If there's no seat, there's no seat.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Question: Does is make sense that it is how we break down &quot;話之&quot; (say it = suppose = don't care)? Or there's some other explanation?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T08:03:29.380Z
If you do interpret it this way, then you'll have to treat 話知 as an "incorrect" way of writing it.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T08:12:49.320Z
Yes, if my interpretation is correct, then "話知" (say knowing) would also be a valid form of this phrase.
Tang Ho
<meaning><cantonese>
Understanding "話之"
# Understanding "話之"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-13)

> CantoDict: [話之](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/4820/)
>
> regardless of; no matter what; "I don't care" | Std. Chin.: 不管; 無論 | Syn.: 唔理 | Usu. in the form of 話之你; 話之佢 etc.

~

> 粵典: [話之 / 話知](https://words.hk/zidin/v/86577/%E8%A9%B1%E4%B9%8B/%E8%A9%B1%E7%9F%A5)
>
> (yue) 唔理唔顧；無視
>
> (eng) to ignore; to disregard; not to care; not to give a damn; used to >express indifference on the part of the speaker

Example of 話之 in a sentence:

* **話之**佢死，最緊要我地走得甩 - **Don't care** if he would die, the most important thing is we can escape
* 我**話之**你係皇帝，冇位就係冇位 - I **don't care** if you were the emperor, If there's no seat, there's no seat.

> My thinking is:
>
> "話" = "say"
>
> "之" = "it"
>
> "話之" = "say it"
>
> "say it" --> suppose --> suppose (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care

replace "don't care" with "say it" in English:

* **話之**佢死，最緊要我地走得甩 - **Say** if he would die, the most important thing is we can escape
* 我**話之**你係皇帝，冇位就係冇位 - I **say** if you were the emperor, If there's no seat, there's no seat.

Question: Does is make sense that it is how we break down "話之" (say it = suppose = don't care)? Or there's some other explanation?

**Tags:** meaning, cantonese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you do interpret it this way, then you'll have to treat 話知 as an "incorrect" way of writing it.  
> **username_0**: Yes, if my interpretation is correct, then "話知" (say knowing) would also be a valid form of this phrase.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-13. Score: 1

I think people got lazy as the 之 is easier and quicker to write than 知 and both sound exactly the same in Cantonese. In any case everybody knows what it means, so no problem.

It's like "Christmas" and "Xmas"


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-12-13. Score: 1

i would treat it as “話知”:

i acknowledge (知道) from your speech (說話) that . . . **[but]**. . .

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Are you suggesting “話知” is the original, standard term and  "話之" was a mistake, but became too popular and was accepted as a valid variant  of “話知”?. It could be an answer.  
> **username_3**: yes, imo, 話知 is the original. meanwhile, 話之 is acceptable, i would not say it’s a mistake. you know, write down the proper character for cantonese is, quite difficult :)  

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### Answer by username_0 on 2019-12-13. Score: 1

After exchanging comments with username_3 I did further research and found this entry in CantoDict

> [*話知*](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/58523/): *used to express indifference on the part of the speaker*

It confirmed "話之' and "話知" are indeed variant of each other. The question is: "which is the original?"

Base on my interpretation of "話之": ["say it" --> suppose --> suppose (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care], "話知" being the original would make more sense ["say knowing" --> say knowing (whoever) are (whatever), I don't care]

The answer to my original question: "...Or there's some other explanation? " would be:

> “**話知**” was the original, standard term for the meaning of "**don't care**" in Cantonese. And "話之" was a wrong way to write it because 知 and 之 are pronounced the same in Cantonese (*username_2 suggested that people got lazy*). Eventually, "話之" was accepted as a valid variant of “話知” by dictionaries due to it's popularity


---

