Negative adverb

Also known as: 否定副词 (fǒudìng fùcí).

Negative adverbs negate verbs and adjectives to make a negative statement. The main ones in Chinese are 不 (bù) and 没 (méi).

Notes

• 不 and 没
  • 不 for present and future
  • 没 for past
  • 不 also for:
    • 是
    • Psychological verbs
    • Frequent or habitual actions
    • Auxiliary verbs
  • 没 also for:
    • 有
    • 没 alone can stand in for 没有
  • Using 不 with 都: (is intuitive)
    • Before 都 means 'not all'
    • After 都 means 'all not'

Sources and further reading

• 外国人实用汉语语法(中英文对照) (pp. 105 - 116)
• 简明汉语语法学习手册 (Chinese Grammar Without Tears) (pp. 181 - 188)