Negative commands with "bie"
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This is one of the few times that Chinese seems to have a "contraction". Instead of saying "do not", we can say "don't" by using 别 (bié).
Structure
As well as 不要 (bùyào), negative commands can also be formed with 别 (bié). You could think of 别 (bié) as a contraction of 不要 (bùyào), as the structure is the same for both:
别 + Verb + （Object）
Examples
- 别 走。Don't go.
- 别 说话！Don't speak!
- 别 生气！Don't get mad!
- 别 笑！Don't laugh!
- 别 喝 太 多 酒。Don't drink too much alcohol.
- 喝 酒 以后 别 开车。After drinking alcohol, don't drive.
- 吃饭 的 时候 别 看 电视。When eating, don't watch TV.
- 别 哭。Don't cry.
- 别 跟 我 说 英文。Don't speak English with me.
- 小心，别跑！Be careful, don't run!
See also
Sources and Further Reading
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: Negative commands
