Negatives
Negatives show that something is untrue, unwanted, or didn't happen. Mandarin Chinese uses particles like bù 不 and méi 没 alongside other words to flip meaning.
Basic Negative: 不
Use bù 不 to deny habitual actions, preferences, or to reject something in the moment. It normally precedes a verb, adjective, or measure word.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 不 | bù | not / no |
| 要 | yào | want / will |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuān | like |
| 吃 | chī | eat |
| 喝 | hē | drink |
| 杯 | bēi | cup / glass |
| 大 | dà | big |
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Negative for Past Actions: 没
Use méi 没 to negate completed actions or possession in the past. It precedes the verb and cannot be used directly with stative verbs like "to be" in some cases.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 没 | méi | did not / have not |
| 有 | yǒu | have |
| 去 | qù | go |
| 看 | kàn | see / watch |
| 买 | mǎi | buy |
| 做 | zuò | do / make |
| 吃 | chī | eat |
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Double Negatives
Double negatives can intensify a denial or soften it depending on context. Mandarin sometimes uses phrases like bù néng 不能 or méi yǒu 没有 for stronger negatives rather than literal double negatives.
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Other Negative Words
Negation can combine with other words for specific meanings: bù 不 yī dìng 一定 (not necessarily), méi 没 yǒu 有 rén 人 (nobody), and more. These tweak the force of the negative.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 不一定 | bù yī dìng | not necessarily |
| 没有人 | méi yǒu rén | nobody |
| 不能 | bù néng | cannot / must not |
| 不会 | bù huì | will not / cannot |
| 没有什么 | méi yǒu shén me | nothing / not much |
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Summary
Use bù 不 for habitual or general negatives and méi 没 for negating past actions or possession. Learn common negative phrases to express nuances like "not necessarily" or "nobody." Practice switching short sentences between positive and negative to internalize the patterns.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025