Meaning
A declaration of deep romantic dependence, meaning one cannot go on, or be happy, without the other person. It carries more emotional weight than the casual English idiom, and in Jamaican use it is often meant sincerely, spoken at a moment of real vulnerability and feeling rather than as light flattery. To tell someone 'mi cyaan live widout yuh' is to lay one's heart bare, confessing that they are the very centre of one's happiness and life, and it belongs to the earnest, heartfelt register of Jamaican love song and romance.
Examples
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Mi tell yuh already, mi cyaan live widout yuh.
I already told you, I can't live without you.
'Cyaan' is the negative of 'can' (cyan/kyan), formed with the nasalised vowel typical of Patois.
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From yuh gone, mi realise seh mi cyaan live widout yuh.
Since you left, I realised that I can't live without you.
'seh' introduces the reported clause, functioning like 'that'.
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No badda leave mi, baby, mi cyaan live widout yuh.
Don't leave me, baby, I can't live without you.
'No badda' means 'don't bother' / 'don't', a soft imperative.
Origin
From English 'can't live without you', with 'cyaan' reflecting the palatalised Patois pronunciation of 'can't' and the loss of the final consonant cluster.
How it’s used
A heartfelt phrase used between partners, in songs, and in reconciliation. Because it signals strong commitment, saying it too early or too often can come across as clingy or insincere.