Emphasizing a negation – 並 / 并 bìng

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OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 4
Grammar Point · HSK 4

并 bìng — Emphasizing a Negation

并 bìng strengthens a negation with 不 bù or 没 méi — it adds a sense of “actually not” or “contrary to what you might think.”

並 bìng emphasizing a negation Chinese grammar

People use 并 bìng to signal that what they’re saying goes against what the listener assumes or expects. It adds a sense of certainty to the negation — making clear the statement is absolutely not true, or the action simply didn’t happen.

1 Structure

S + 并 bìng + 不 bù / 没 méi

他tā并bìng不是búshì这样zhèyàng想的xiǎng de
He definitely doesn’t think that way.
我wǒ并bìng不bù喜欢xǐhuan吃chī辣的là de食物shíwù
I actually don’t like spicy food at all.
这zhè并bìng不是búshì我wǒ想要的xiǎngyào de礼物lǐwù
This is definitely not the gift I wanted.
爸爸bàba并bìng没有méiyǒu给gěi我wǒ钱qián
Dad definitely did not give me money.
中国Zhōngguó卖的mài de台湾Táiwān烤肠kǎocháng在zài台湾Táiwān并bìng不bù存在cúnzài
The Taiwanese sausages sold in China — they actually don’t exist in Taiwan.
我wǒ哥哥gēge并bìng没有méiyǒu去过qùguò上海Shànghǎi
My older brother actually hasn’t been to Shanghai.
我wǒ并bìng不bù觉得juéde他tā在zài开玩笑kāiwánxiào
Actually, I don’t think he’s joking.
Tiffany并bìng不bù喜欢xǐhuan教jiāo中文zhōngwén，她tā只是zhǐshì喜欢xǐhuan笑xiào她的tāde学生xuésheng
Tiffany doesn’t actually like teaching Chinese — she just likes laughing at her students.

2 Let’s Compare

我wǒ不bù喜欢xǐhuan吃chī辣的là de食物shíwù
I don’t like spicy food.
A plain statement — no particular emphasis, just a fact.
我wǒ并bìng不bù喜欢xǐhuan吃chī辣的là de食物shíwù
I actually don’t like spicy food at all.
Asserting a fact that’s contrary to what the listener might assume.

3 并 bìng vs 根本 gēnběn

Both 并 bìng and 根本 gēnběn emphasize a negation, but 根本 gēnběn carries a stronger, more absolute sense of contradiction or disbelief — 并 bìng is the milder of the two.

No Emphasis 并 bìng 根本 gēnběn
Sentence 他不是坏人 他并不是坏人 他根本不是坏人
Feel Straightforward negation Mild contrast — “not, in fact” Strong disbelief — “not at all”
Translation He is not a bad person. Contrary to what you’d think, he’s not a bad person. He is absolutely not a bad person.

4 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I definitely did not receive your email.
我wǒ并bìng没有méiyǒu收到shōudào你的nǐde电邮diànyóu
👆 Tap to reveal
02He actually is not only a teacher, but also an artist.
他tā并bìng不只bùzhǐ是shì一位yíwèi老师lǎoshī，他tā还是háishì一位yíwèi画家huàjiā
👆 Tap to reveal
03Actually, the dish you made is not tasty.
其实qíshí你nǐ做的zuò de菜cài并bìng不bù好吃hǎochī
👆 Tap to reveal
04Actually, I didn’t say that.
我wǒ并bìng没有méiyǒu这么zhème说shuō
👆 Tap to reveal
05This isn’t as simple as you think.
这zhè并bìng没有méiyǒu你nǐ想的xiǎng de那么nàme简单jiǎndān
👆 Tap to reveal
06She actually doesn’t know the answer.
她tā并bìng不bù知道zhīdào答案dá’àn
👆 Tap to reveal
07He really didn’t do it on purpose.
他tā并bìng不是búshì故意的gùyì de
👆 Tap to reveal
08Actually, this restaurant isn’t expensive.
这家zhèjiā餐厅cāntīng并bìng不bù贵guì
👆 Tap to reveal
09I didn’t forget your birthday — I was just busy.
我wǒ并bìng没有méiyǒu忘记wàngjì你的nǐde生日shēngrì，我wǒ只是zhǐshì很hěn忙máng
👆 Tap to reveal
10This isn’t the first time this has happened.
这zhè并bìng不是búshì第一次dìyīcì发生fāshēng这种zhèzhǒng事shì
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→并且 bìngqiě — “Moreover”(HSK 4) →以及 yǐjí & 并 bìng — “And”(HSK 4) →根本 gēnběn(HSK 5)

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