Negation – 不 bù and 沒 méi

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, both 不 bù and 沒没 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 沒没 méi

我wǒ沒méi工作gōngzuò、 沒méi錢qián、 沒méi未來wèilái， 只zhǐ想xiǎng當dāng米蟲mǐchóng我wǒ没méi工作gōngzuò， 没méi钱qián， 没méi未来wèilái， 只zhǐ想xiǎng当dāng米虫mǐchóng
I have no job, no money, no future. I just want to be a NEET.

FYI
米蟲米虫 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tā沒méi想法xiǎngfǎ他tā没méi想法xiǎngfǎ
He has no idea.

It is possible to add 有 yǒu in between 沒没 méi and the noun without changing the meaning.

我wǒ沒有méiyǒu時間shíjiān我wǒ没有méiyǒu时间shíjiān
I don’t have time.

你nǐ沒有méiyǒu酒jiǔ嗎ma？ 你nǐ没有méiyǒu酒jiǔ吗ma？
You don’t have alcohol?

When it goes with a SV (Adj.)

Always use 不 bù

我wǒ不bù矮ǎi、 不bú胖pàng、 不bú笨bèn也yě不bù醜chǒu我wǒ不bù矮ǎi、 不bú胖pàng、 不bú笨bèn也yě不bù丑chǒu
I am not short, not fat, not stupid, and also not ugly.

📖 Don’t know why 不 change the tones?

那個nàge不bú貴guì嗎ma？ 那个nàge不bú贵guì吗ma？
That is not expensive？

📚 Sometimes you may hear 沒没+SV  because people occasionally omit the verb.

你nǐ沒méi變biàn胖pàng你nǐ没méi变biàn胖pàng
You didn’t get fat.
→ 你nǐ沒méi胖pàng你nǐ没méi胖pàng 

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, 沒没 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 沒没 méi without changing the meaning.

我wǒ今天jīntiān不bù吃chī晚飯wǎnfàn我wǒ今天jīntiān不bù吃chī晚饭wǎnfàn
I am not going to have dinner tonight. (Your decision)

我wǒ今天jīntiān沒méi吃chī晚飯wǎnfàn我wǒ今天jīntiān没méi吃chī晚饭wǎnfàn
I didn’t have dinner tonight. (The fact)

你nǐ昨天zuótiān為什麼wèishénme不bù跟gēn我wǒ說話shuōhuà你nǐ昨天zuótiān为什么wèishénme不bù跟gēn我wǒ说话shuōhuà
Why didn’t you talk to me yesterday?
(I know you did it on purpose.)

你nǐ昨天zuótiān為什麼wèishénme沒méi跟gēn我wǒ說話shuōhuà你nǐ昨天zuótiān为什么wèishénme没méi跟gēn我wǒ说话shuōhuà
Why didn’t you talk to me yesterday?
(I ask because I don’t know why. Simply describe a fact.)

我wǒ不bù喝酒hējiǔ我wǒ不bù喝酒hējiǔ
I don’t drink.

我wǒ沒méi喝酒hējiǔ  =   我wǒ沒有méiyǒu喝酒hējiǔ我wǒ没méi喝酒hējiǔ  =   我wǒ没有méiyǒu喝酒hējiǔ
I didn’t drink.

還沒还没 háiméi not yet

沒没 méi has a “close friend” called 還还沒没 háiméi, to say that something has not happened yet.

我wǒ還沒háiméi喝酒hējiǔ我wǒ还没háiméi喝酒hējiǔ
I haven’t had a drink yet.

她tā還沒háiméi死sǐ她tā还没háiméi死sǐ
She’s not dead yet. (She is still alive.)

我wǒ還huán沒有méiyǒu寫xiě作業zuòyè我wǒ还huán没有méiyǒu写xiě作业zuòyè
I haven’t written my homework yet.

Practice