Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu"

Sometimes we may want to say something is "not even the least bit [adjective]." For example, we might say in English: "I am not at all hungry." In Chinese, we can use 一点也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù) or 一点都不 (yīdiǎnr dōu bù) to express "not at all [adjective]."

Used with Adjectives

The phrases "一点也不" (or 一点儿也不) and "一点都不" (or 一点儿都不) can both be used to express "not at all."

Structure

Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + Adj.

Examples

• 那个 问题 一点 也 不 难 。Nàge wèntí yīdiǎn yě bù nán.That question isn't difficult at all.
• 你 一点 也 不 胖 。Nǐ yīdiǎn yě bù pàng.You're not even a little bit fat.
• 这个 菜 一点 都 不 好吃 。Zhège cài yīdiǎn dōu bù hǎochī.This dish isn't tasty at all.
• 我 同事 一点 都 不 幽默 。Wǒ tóngshì yīdiǎn dōu bù yōumò.My colleague is not humorous at all.
• 这个 笑话 一点 也 不 好笑 。Zhège xiàohuà yīdiǎn yě bù hǎoxiào.This joke isn't funny at all.

Used with Verbs

This describes the Subj. as being "not at all adjective" or "not even slightly adjective." Psychological verbs can also appear in place of the adjective in this structure.

Structure

Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + Verb

Examples

• 我 一点 也 不 喜欢 奶酪 。Wǒ yīdiǎn yě bù xǐhuan nǎilào.I don't like cheese even a little bit.
• 你 一点 也 不 会 说 吗 ？Nǐ yīdiǎn yě bù huì shuō ma?You can't even speak a little?
• 她 一点 都 不 知道 这 件 事 。Tā yīdiǎn dōu bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.She doesn't know even a little about this.
• 我 男朋友 一点 都 不 懂 我 。Wǒ nánpéngyou yīdiǎn dōu bù dǒng wǒ.My boyfriend doesn't understand me at all.
• 她 出国 以后 一点 也 不 想 家 。Tā chūguó yǐhòu yīdiǎn yě bù xiǎngjiā.She hasn't missed home at all since she wen abroad.

The phrases "一点也没 " and "一点都没 " can also be used to express "not at all ." This is used when the statement uses or implies the verb negative form of 有 in the past.

• 我 一点 也 没 生气 。Wǒ yīdiǎn yě méi shēngqì.I didn't get even a little bit angry.
• 今天 的 考试 她 一点 都 没 准备 。Jīntiān de kǎoshì tā yīdiǎn dōu méi zhǔnbèi.She didn't even prepare a little for the exam today.
• 这个 菜 你们 怎么 一点 也 没 吃 ？Zhège cài nǐmen zěnme yīdiǎn yě méi chī?Why didn't you eat this dish at all?
• 你妈 给 你 的 钱 你 一点 都 没 花 ？Nǐ mā gěi nǐ de qián nǐ yīdiǎn dōu méi huā?You didn't even spend a bit of the money you mother gave you?
• 邻居 昨晚 吵 死了 ，我 一点 都 没 睡 。Línjū zuówǎn chǎo sǐ le, wǒ yīdiǎn dōu méi shuì.My neighbor was too loud last night. I didn't even sleep a bit.

See also

Expressing "not even one"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 36-7) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (pp. 37- 9) →buy

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