"meiyou" as a Verb
没有 (méiyǒu) means "to not have" and can be used to express that someone or something lacks something else. This can be used to express a lack of something tangible, like a date for the prom, or something more abstract, like a goal in life, or time, or "patience for your shenanigans." 没有 can be shortened to 没 without altering its meaning.
Structure
Subject + 没有 + Noun
Examples
- 我 没有 工作。I don't have a job.
- 我 没有 面包。I don't have bread.
- 我 没有 朋友。I don't have friends.
- 我 没有 钱。I don't have money.
- 我 现在 没有 时间。I don't have time right now.
- 我 没有 电脑。I don't have a computer.
- 我 没有 手机。I don't have a cell phone.
- 我 没有 房子。I don't have a house.
- 我 没有 车。I don't have a car.
- 我 没有 女朋友。I don't have a girlfriend.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 67) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词(增订本) (p. 382) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 51) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典(第5版) (pp. 927) →buy