Double Negation – 双重否定

Double Negation – 双重否定

Double Negation refers to these composed by using two negatives to indicate a positive meaning, but with a stronger mood or tone than an equivalent simple positive statement.

*Using two negative adverbs

The simple way to form a double negation is using two negative adverbs together, but the meaning of the sentence is definitely positive.

Subject + 不得不 + Verb / Adjective

Subject + 不是 + 不 / 没 + Verb / Adjective

Subject + 不 + 会 / 能 / 可能 + 不 / 没 + Verb / Adjective

e.g.

他不得不自己去买菜。(Tā bù dé bù zìjǐ qù mǎi cài.) He has to go to buy food by himself.

>> He has no choice but to go to buy food by himself.

停电了，他们不得不点蜡烛。(Tínɡ diànle, tāmen bù dé bù diǎn làzhú.) They have to burn a candle since there is no electricity.

>> They had to burn a candle since the electricity went off.

 

我不是不给你打电话，只是我手机没电了。(Wǒ búshì bù ɡěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà, zhǐshì wǒ shǒujī méi diàn le.) It’s not that I didn’t want to call you; It’s just because my phone was powered off.

>> I wanted to call but the phone was powered off, so I didn’t make it.

别怪他们，他们不是没想过去找你。(Bié ɡuài tāmen, tāmen búshì méi xiǎnɡɡuo qù zhǎo nǐ.) Don’t blame them, it’s not that they didn’t think about going to find you.

>> They had thought about going to find you.

 

你不会不认识我吧？(Nǐ bú huì bú rènshi wǒ bɑ?) You know me, right?

>> I think you should have known me.

他不会不明白这件事的。(Tā bú huì bù mínɡbɑi zhè jiàn shì de.) He would understand this thing.

>> The speaker is confident that he understands it.

 

你们不能不吃早饭。(Nǐmen bù nénɡ bù chī zǎofàn.) You have to have breakfast.

孩子们不能没有妈妈。(Háizimen bù nénɡ méi yǒu māmɑ.) Children must have mum.

>> Children can’t live without mum.

 

那件事她不可能不知道。(Nà jiàn shì tā bù kěnénɡ bù zhīdào.) There is no way that she doesn’t know that.

>> “她” definitely knows that.

考试时间小华不可能没告诉你。(Kǎoshì shíjiān Xiǎo Huá bù kěnénɡ méi ɡàosu nǐ.) There is no way that Xiao Hua didn’t tell you the test time.

>> 小华 definitely has told the time.

 

*Using negation with numeral word together

This structure is applied to express “not a single one” “without any exception” or “all will be in this way” where a single noun is often used in the sentence.

没有 (+ 一 + Measure Word + Noun +) 不 / 没 + Verb / Adjective + (的)

一 + Measure Word（+ Noun）+ 也 (都) / 也没（不）+ Verb / Adjective

e.g.

没有一个人不喜欢他。(Méiyǒu yí ɡè rén bù xǐhuɑn tā.) There is no one who doesn’t like him.

>> Everyone likes him without exception.

他们没有一个没吃过我做的中国菜。(Tāmen méiyǒu yí ɡè méi chīɡuo wǒ zuòde Zhōnɡɡuó cài.)

There is no one who didn’t eat the Chinese food made by me.

>> All of them have eaten the Chinese food made by me without exception.

这些天没有一天不热的。(Zhè xiē tiān méiyǒu yì tiān bú rè de.) There is not a single day that isn’t hot among these days.

>> Every day is hot among these days.

 

哥哥一口早饭也没吃。(Gēɡe yì kǒu zǎofàn yě méi chī.) The elder brother didn’t have the breakfast.

>> The elder brother didn’t have the breakfast, even a single bite.

我一句话也不想和你说。(Wǒ yí jù huà yě bù xiǎnɡ hé nǐ shuō.) I don’t want to say a word to you.

>> I don’t want to talk to you even speaking one word.

姐姐一分钱都不会给你。(Jiějie yì fēn qián dōu bú huì ɡěi nǐ.) The elder sister won’t give you a cent.

>> The elder sister won’t give you any money even one cent.