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

• 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.

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

• 他 一点 也 不 喜欢 啤酒 。Tā yīdiǎn yě bù xǐhuan píjiǔ.He doesn't like beer 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.
• 这个 菜 你们 怎么 一点 都 没 吃 ？Zhège cài nǐmen zěnme yīdiǎn dōu méi chī?Why didn't you not eat this dish at all?

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 。She didn't even prepare a little today.
• 我 一点 也 没 想到 那个人 就是 你 。Wǒ yīdiǎn yě méi xiǎngdào nàge rén jiùshì nǐ.I didn't even expect a bit that guy was you.
• 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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