Difference between revisions of "Standard negation with "bu""
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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">Zhè ge <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">Zhè ge <em>bù</em> <strong>guì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This is not expensive.</span> | ||
| − | * 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> | + | * 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> |
* 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> | ||
Revision as of 02:35, 21 September 2015
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Keywords
不 (bù) is generally used to negate an action that you do not want to do or do not intend to do (in the future). So expressing things like "I don't want to go" or "I'm not going" would be uses of 不 (bù).
Contents
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。They are not bad kids.
- 我们 都 不 喝 酒。We all don't drink alcohol.
- 我 今天 不 想 工作。I don't want to work today.
- 你 不 喜欢 我 吗？Do you not like me?
- 为什么 你 不 喜欢 喝 咖啡？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。
- 我 没有 时间。I don't have time.
Negating Adjectives
Turns out that the structure is basically the same.
Structure
Subj.+ 不 + Adj.
Examples
- 我 不 饿。I'm not hungry.
- 这 个 不 贵。This is not expensive.
- 我们 公司 不 大。Our company is not big.
- 老板 今天 很 不 高兴。The boss is very unhappy today.
- 我 哥哥 不 高，但是 很 帅。My older brother is not tall, but he is very handsome.
See also
Sources and Further Reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 31) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 45) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 146-150) →buy
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: Negation word 不
