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| | At first this is a good way to remember the difference between the two, but this explanation doesn't neatly cover all uses. | | At first this is a good way to remember the difference between the two, but this explanation doesn't neatly cover all uses. |
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| − | ==Personal and factual statements==
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| − | A slightly less intuitive but more encompassing explanation is that 不 is used to negate statements which are based on personal circumstances, whereas 没 is used to negate statements of fact.
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| − | For example:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 我 <em>没</em> 去 <span class="expl"> (I didn't go – an objective statement not reliant on personal circumstances)</span>
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| − | * 我 <em>不</em> 去 <span class="expl"> (I won't go – a decision based on personal circumstances. I won’t go because I don't have the money, because I'm busy or so on. This decision is up to me)</span>
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| − | * 我 今天<em>没</em> 吃饭 <span class="expl"> (I haven't eaten today. This is a factual statement)</span>
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| − | * 我 今天<em>不</em> 吃饭 <span class="expl"> (I'm not eating today. This is an opinion based on personal reasons; perhaps the speaker is feeling ill, is too busy or is too lazy. Again, this is my decision) </span>
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| − | With this clear, it is now easier to explain another two uses of 不 and 没。
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| − | Second, statements with negating adjectives are generally personal statements, therefore we do not use 没 to negate adjectives. We can only say "不好" or "不漂亮", not "没好" or "没漂亮".
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| − | The examples below are a little more difficult, as these statement are very similar. However the same rule applies:
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| − | * 水 <em>没</em> 凉 <span class="expl">(the water hasn't cooled down yet – this emphasizes that the objective process of water cooling hasn't finished yet, as it hasn't yet reached room temperature)</span>
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| − | * 水<em>不</em> 凉 <span class="expl">(the water isn't cool – here the speaker is making statement based on their belief of what cool is. I might think this water is cool, but you may not, the standard we use is subjective)</span>
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| − | * 我 <em>不</em> 是 这个 意思 <span class="expl">(No, you've got me wrong, you've judged the situation wrongly - a personal judgement on my behalf that the listener has misjudged me)</span>
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| − | * 我 <em>没有</em> 这个 意思 <span class="expl">(I never implied that - an objective fact)</span>
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| − | </div>
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Revision as of 02:30, 31 October 2011
Although 不 (bù) and 没(有) (méi(yǒu)) both have the same function of negate verbs and adjectives, however they are used differently. Let's take a look at some of these differences.
有 is negated with 没
没 (rather than 不) is always used to negate 有, the verb meaning "to have." The phrase "不有" exists only in non-standard Chinese dialects, in obscure set phrases (that you don't need), and in incorrect Chinese. Keep in mind also that when 没 is used to negate 有, 有 can be dropped altogether.
- 没有
- 不 有
- 我 没有 钱。
- 我 没 钱。
- 我 不 有 钱。
- 她 没有 朋友。
- 她 没 朋友。
- 她 不 有 朋友。
Past and present statements
Perhaps the most intuitive explanation of the difference between 不 and 没(有) is that 不 negates actions in the present whereas 没 negates actions in the past.
For example:
- 我 不 去 (I won't go; I'm not going)
- 他 没 去 (I didn't go)
- 我 没 告诉 他！ (I didn't tell him)
- 我 不 告诉 你 (I won't tell you; I'm not telling you)
At first this is a good way to remember the difference between the two, but this explanation doesn't neatly cover all uses.
Sources and further reading
Websites
