Grammar Point:
In Chinese, both 不 bù and 没 méi are used to express negation, but they are used in different contexts.
Noun | SV (Adj) | Verb | |
不 bù | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
沒 méi | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
When it goes with a noun
Always use 没 méi
我沒工作、沒錢、沒未來,只想當米蟲我没工作,没钱,没未来,只想当米虫
I have no job, no money, no future. I just want to be a NEET.
FYI
米虫 mǐchóng
The term refers to a group of young people who are not enrolled in school, not working, and not undergoing any vocational training. They are like a rice bugs. They eat and sleep all day, without doing anything, relying on others to take care of them.
他沒想法他没想法
He has no idea.
It is possible to add 有 yǒu in between 没 méi and the noun without changing the meaning.
我沒有時間我没有时间
I don’t have time.
你沒有酒嗎?你没有酒吗?
You don’t have alcohol?
When it goes with a SV (Adj.)
Always use 不 bù
我不矮、不胖、不笨也不醜我不矮、不胖、不笨也不丑
I am not short, not fat, not stupid, and also not ugly.
📖 Don’t know why 不 change the tones?
那個不貴嗎?那个不贵吗?
That is not expensive?
📚 Sometimes you may hear 没+SV because people occasionally omit the verb.
你沒變胖你没变胖
You didn’t get fat.
→ 你沒胖你没胖
When it goes with a Verb
不 bù is commonly used to negate an action that a person does not want or intend to do. On the other hand, 没 méi can be used to negate a fact or actions that usually have already occurred in the past. It is also possible to add 有 yǒu in after 没 méi without changing the meaning.
我今天不吃晚飯我今天不吃晚饭
I am not going to have dinner tonight. (Your decision)
我今天沒吃晚飯我今天没吃晚饭
I didn’t have dinner tonight. (The fact)
你昨天為什麼不跟我說話你昨天为什么不跟我说话
Why didn’t you talk to me yesterday?
(I know you did it on purpose.)
你昨天為什麼沒跟我說話你昨天为什么没跟我说话
Why didn’t you talk to me yesterday?
(I ask because I don’t know why. Simply describe a fact.)
我不喝酒我不喝酒
I don’t drink.
我沒喝酒 = 我沒有喝酒我没喝酒 = 我没有喝酒
I didn’t drink.
还没 háiméi not yet
没 méi has a “close friend” called 还没 háiméi, to say that something has not happened yet.
我還沒喝酒我还没喝酒
I haven’t had a drink yet.
她還沒死她还没死
She’s not dead yet. (She is still alive.)
我還沒有寫作業我还没有写作业
I haven’t written my homework yet.