Standard negation with "bu"

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).

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。Tāmen bù shì huài háizi.They are not bad kids.
• 我们 都 不 喝 酒。Wǒmen dōu bù hē jiǔ.We all don't drink alcohol.
• 我 今天 不 想 工作。Wǒ jīntiān bù xiǎng gōngzuò.I don't want to work today.
• 你 不 喜欢 我 吗？ Nǐ bù xǐhuan wǒ ma?Do you not like me?
• 为什么 你 不 喜欢 喝 咖啡？Wèishéme nǐ bù xǐhuan hē kāfēi?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。Wǒ bù yǒu shíjiān.
• 我 没有 时间。Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.I don't have time.

Negating Adjectives

Turns out that the structure is basically the same.

Structure

Subj.+ 不 + Adj.

Examples

• 我 不 饿。Wǒ bù è.I'm not hungry.
• 这 个 不 贵。Zhè ge bù guì.This is not expensive.
• 我们 公司 不 大。Wǒmen gōngsī bù dà.Our company is not big.
• 老板 今天 很 不 高兴。Lǎobǎn jīntiān hěn bù gāoxìng .The boss is very unhappy today.
• 我 哥哥 不 高，但是 很 帅。Wǒ gēge bù gāo , dànshì hěn shuài.My older brother is not tall, but he is very handsome.

See also

• Negation of "you"
• Negation of past actions

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