Difference between revisions of "Standard negation with "bu""
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* 他们 <em>不</em> <strong>是</strong> 坏 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù</em> <strong>shì </strong> huài háizi.</span><span class="trans">They are not bad kids.</span>
 
* 他们 <em>不</em> <strong>是</strong> 坏 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù</em> <strong>shì </strong> huài háizi.</span><span class="trans">They are not bad kids.</span>
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*我们 都 <em>不</em> <strong>喝</strong> 酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>bù</em> <strong>hē </strong>jiǔ.</span><span class="trans">We all don't drink alcohol.</span>
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*我们 <em>不</em> <strong>喝</strong> 酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù</em> <strong>hē</strong>jiǔ.</span><span class="trans">We don't drink alcohol.</span>
 
* 我 今天 <em>不</em> <strong>想 工作</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em>bù</em> <strong>xiǎng gōngzuò</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to work today.</span>
 
* 我 今天 <em>不</em> <strong>想 工作</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em>bù</em> <strong>xiǎng gōngzuò</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to work today.</span>
 
* 你 <em>不</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 我 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>bù</em> <strong>xǐhuan </strong> wǒ ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not like me?</span>
 
* 你 <em>不</em> <strong>喜欢</strong> 我 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>bù</em> <strong>xǐhuan </strong> wǒ ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not like me?</span>
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* 为什么 你 <em>不</em> <strong>喜欢 喝</strong> 咖啡？<span class="pinyin">Wèishéme nǐ <em>bù</em> <strong>xǐhuan hē </strong> kāfēi?</span><span class="trans">Why don't you like to drink coffee?</span>
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* 为什么 你 <em>不</em> <strong>喜欢 喝</strong> 咖啡？<span class="pinyin">Wèishénme nǐ <em>bù</em> <strong>xǐhuan hē </strong> kāfēi?</span><span class="trans">Why don't you like to drink coffee?</span>
  
 
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Almost all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù) ([[Negation of past actions|unless you're talking about the past]]). The only verb that can never be negated with 不 (bù) is [[Negation of "you"|有 (yǒu)]].
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Almost all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù) ([[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"|unless you're talking about the past]]). The only verb that can never be negated with 不 (bù) is [[Negation of "you" with "mei"|有 (yǒu)]].
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 我 <em>不</em> <strong>饿</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> <strong>è</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not hungry.</span>
 
* 我 <em>不</em> <strong>饿</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> <strong>è</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not hungry.</span>
 
* 这 个 <em>不</em> <strong>贵</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège <em>bù</em> <strong>guì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This is not expensive.</span>
 
* 这 个 <em>不</em> <strong>贵</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège <em>bù</em> <strong>guì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This is not expensive.</span>
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* 我们 公司 <em>不</em> <strong>大</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>bù</em> <strong>dà</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Our company is not big.</span>
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* 公司 <em>不</em> <strong>大</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Gōngsī <em>bù</em> <strong>dà</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The company is not big.</span>
 
* 老板 今天 很 <em>不</em> <strong>高兴</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn jīntiān hěn <em>bù</em> <strong>gāoxìng </strong>.</span><span class="trans">The boss is very unhappy today.</span>
 
* 老板 今天 很 <em>不</em> <strong>高兴</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn jīntiān hěn <em>bù</em> <strong>gāoxìng </strong>.</span><span class="trans">The boss is very unhappy today.</span>
 
* 我 哥哥 <em>不</em> <strong>高</strong>，但是 很 帅。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge <em>bù</em> <strong>gāo </strong>, dànshì hěn shuài.</span><span class="trans">My older brother is not tall, but he is very handsome.</span>
 
* 我 哥哥 <em>不</em> <strong>高</strong>，但是 很 帅。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge <em>bù</em> <strong>gāo </strong>, dànshì hěn shuài.</span><span class="trans">My older brother is not tall, but he is very handsome.</span>
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==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Negation of "you"]]
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*[[Negation of "you" with "mei"]]
 
*[[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"]]
 
*[[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"]]
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 31) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|16}}
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* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (p. 45) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|31}}
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* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 146-150) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|45}}
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|146-150}}
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=== Websites ===
 +
 
 +
* FluentU: [https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/10/24/basic-chinese-grammar/ 5 Totally Uncomplicated Tips to Master Basic Chinese Grammar]
  
 
===Videos===
 
===Videos===
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[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
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{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}  
 
{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}  
 
{{Similar|Comparing "bu" and "mei"}}       
 
{{Similar|Comparing "bu" and "mei"}}       
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{POS|Adverbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}
 
 
{{Translation|not}}
 
{{Translation|not}}

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 April 2021

不 (bù) is generally used to negate a verb in the present or future, or to talk about what you do not do, as a habit. So expressing things like "I don't want to go" or "I'm not going" or "I don't eat meat" would be typical uses of 不 (bù).

Negating Verbs

Structure

The standard way to negate verbs in Chinese is with 不 (bù). To negate a verb, simply place 不 (bù) before it:

Subj. + 不 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 他们 不 是 坏 孩子。Tāmen bù shì huài háizi.They are not bad kids.
  • 我们 不 喝 酒。Wǒmen bù hējiǔ.We don't drink alcohol.
  • 我 今天 不 想 工作。Wǒ jīntiān bù xiǎng gōngzuò.I don't want to work today.
  • 你 不 喜欢 我 吗？ Nǐ bù xǐhuan wǒ ma?Do you not like me?
  • 为什么 你 不 喜欢 喝 咖啡？Wèishénme nǐ bù xǐhuan hē kāfēi?Why don't you like to drink coffee?

Almost all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù) (unless you're talking about the past). The only verb that can never be negated with 不 (bù) is 有 (yǒu).

  • 我 不有时间。Wǒ bù yǒu shíjiān.
  • 我 没有时间。Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.I don't have time.

Negating Adjectives

As it turns out, the structure with an adjective is basically the same as the one with a verb.

Structure

Subj. + 不 + Adj.

Examples

  • 我 不 饿。Wǒ bù è.I'm not hungry.
  • 这 个 不 贵。Zhège bù guì.This is not expensive.
  • 公司 不 大。Gōngsī bù dà.The company is not big.
  • 老板 今天 很 不 高兴。Lǎobǎn jīntiān hěn bù gāoxìng .The boss is very unhappy today.
  • 我 哥哥 不 高，但是 很 帅。Wǒ gēge bù gāo , dànshì hěn shuài.My older brother is not tall, but he is very handsome.

See also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites

Videos

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