← All pills

不: the default 'not'

不的用法

Level 1 · Negation · 否定

不 negates present, future, habits and adjectives

The pattern

不 + V/Adj
  • 不 negates verbs in the present/future and adjectives: 我不去 'I'm not going', 不好 'not good'. It answers 'do you want to / are you' rather than 'did you'.
  • Tone sandhi: 不 is 4th tone, but before another 4th tone it becomes 2nd, bú yào, bú shì.

Examples

我不喝咖啡。 我不喝咖啡
wǒ bù hē kā fēi
I don't drink coffee.
今天不忙。 今天不忙
jīn tiān bù máng
Not busy today.
他不想去。 他不想去
tā bù xiǎng qù
He doesn't want to go.

Quick check

1. 'I don't want it.'
  1. 我不要。
  2. 我没要。
  3. 我不是要。
Show answer 我不要。 · Volition (want) negates with 不.
2. How is 不要 pronounced?
  1. bù yào
  2. bú yào
  3. bū yào
Show answer bú yào · 不 turns 2nd tone before a 4th tone.
💊 Negation has 5 pills in the app · 106 grammar pills total, plus exercises that drill them. Get the app →