Negative commands with "bié" "别"
Instead of saying "do not" with 不要 (bùyào), we can say "don't" a little more quickly and forcefully by using 别 bié).
Structure
As well as 不要 (bùyào), negative commands can also be formed with 别 (bié). You could think of 别 (bié) as a contraction of 不要 (bùyào), as the structure is the same for both:
Examples
- 别 走。
Bié zǒu.
Don't leave.
- 别 说话！
Bié shuōhuà!
Don't speak!
- 别 笑！
Bié xiào!
Don't laugh!
- 别 动！
Bié dòng!
Don't move!
- 别 过来！
Bié guòlái!
Don't come over here!
- 别 打 孩子！
Bié dǎ háizi!
Don't hit the child!
- 别 喝 太 多。
Bié hē tài duō.
Don't drink too much.
- 喝酒 以后 别 开车。
Hējiǔ yǐhòu bié kāichē.
After drinking alcohol, don't drive.
- 吃饭 的 时候 别 玩 手机。
Chīfàn de shíhou bié wán shǒujī.
When eating, don't play with your cell phone.
- 上课 的 时候 别 说 英文。
Shàngkè de shíhou bié shuō Yīngwén.
Don't speak English in class.
See also
Sources and Further Reading
Videos
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 155)
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 325)
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 46-47)