The Chinese words 不 (bù), 未 (wèi), 无 (wú), 没 (méi), and 非 (fēi) are all used to negate statements in Chinese, but they differ in their usage and specific meanings.
不 (bù)
This is the most common negation particle, used to negate verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. It usually indicates general negation and is placed directly before the verb or adjective.
不 + Verb / Adjective
e.g.
我不知道她做得对不对。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā zuò de duì bù duì.) I don’t know if she did it right or not.
大家都不清楚该怎么办。(Dàjiā dōu bù qīngchǔ gāi zěnme bàn.) Everyone is unclear about what to do.
她虽然不漂亮，但是很可爱。(Tā suīrán bù piàoliang, dànshì hěn kě’ài.) Although she is not pretty, she is very cute.
你不太高兴？(Nǐ bù tài gāoxìng?) Are you not very happy?
没 (méi) / 没有 (méi yǒu)
没 or 没有 is used to negate past actions or to denote absence. It is specifically used with verbs to indicate that something was not done or didn’t happen.
没 + Verb / Adjective / Noun
e.g.
家里没有人，你别去了。(Jiā lǐ méi yǒu rén, nǐ bié qù le.) There’s no one at home, don’t go.
我没去过中国 (Wǒ méi qù guò Zhōngguó) I have not been to China.
没想到你们会来看望我。(Méi xiǎngdào nǐmen huì lái kànwàng wǒ.) I didn’t expect you to come visit me.
时间还没到，你们再坐一会儿吧。(Shíjiān hái méi dào, nǐmen zài zuò yīhuǐ’er ba.) The time hasn’t come yet, sit for a while longer.
The major uses about 不(bù) vs 没(méi)
未 (wèi)
未 is used to indicate that something has “not yet” occurred or been done. It is often used in a more formal or literary context.
e.g.
未雨绸缪 (Wèi yǔ chóu móu) Prepare ahead (lit. mend the roof before it rains).
未老先衰 (Wèi lǎo xiān shuāi) To decline before old age (lit. age before old age).
事情尚未结束，你们别高兴得太早。(Shìqíng shàng wèi jiéshù, nǐmen bié gāoxìng de tài zǎo.) The matter is not yet over, don’t celebrate too early.
“未来”就是还没有到来的日子。(“Wèilái” jiùshì hái méiyǒu dàolái de rìzi.) “The future” is the days that have not yet come.
无 (wú)
This is equivalent to “without” or “lacking” and is used before nouns to express the absence of something. It’s more formal than its synonym “没有” (méi yǒu).
无 + Noun phrase
e.g.
父母的爱是无价之宝。(Fùmǔ de ài shì wú jià zhī bǎo.) Parents’ love is a priceless treasure.
现在的房地产都是有价无市。(Xiànzài de fángdìchǎn dōu shì yǒu jià wú shì.) The current real estate market is all value without buyers (lit. has a price but no market).
她是个胸无大志的人。(Tā shì gè xiōng wú dà zhì de rén.) She is a person without great ambitions.
不得无礼！这是你的老师，你必须尊重她。(Bùdé wú lǐ! Zhè shì nǐ de lǎoshī, nǐ bìxū zūnzhòng tā.) Don’t be rude! This is your teacher, you must respect her.
There are often some commonly used fixed terms with 无.
e.g.
- 无所谓 (Wú suǒwèi) It doesn’t matter.
- 无聊 (Wúliáo) Boring
- 无法无天 (Wú fǎ wú tiān) Lawless.
- 无依无靠 (Wú yī wú kào) Helpless and alone.
- 无所遁形 (Wú suǒ dùn xíng) Nowhere to hide.
- 百无聊赖 (Bǎi wú liáo lài) Utterly bored.
- 无所畏惧 (Wú suǒ wèijù) Fearless.
- 无凭无据 (Wú píng wú jù) Without evidence or proof.
非 (fēi)
It’s used to negate nouns and stative verbs, often in a formal or emphatic context. It is also used to form phrases that express “not” in a strong or definitive sense, akin to “is not” or “cannot be otherwise.”
非 + Noun / Verb
e.g.
这个职位非你莫属。(Zhège zhíwèi fēi nǐ mò shǔ.) This position is yours and no one else’s.
有的难民受到了非人的对待。(Yǒu de nànmín shòudào le fēirén de duìdài.) Some refugees have received inhuman treatment.
这是非常规操作，需要有经验的医生才能判断。(Zhè shì fēichángguī cāozuò, xūyào yǒu jīngyàn de yīshēng cái néng pànduàn.) This is an unconventional operation; it requires an experienced doctor to judge.
这种肺炎是非典型的。(Zhè zhǒng fèiyán shì fēi diǎnxíng de.) This type of pneumonia is atypical.
你们非亲非故，他为什么要帮你？(Nǐmen fēi qīn fēi gù, tā wèishéme yào bāng nǐ?) You are neither relatives nor close, why would he help you?
Exercise
