<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops"> <head> <title>Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu"</title> <link href="../Styles/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> </head> <body> <h1>Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu" </h1> <p>Sometimes we may want to say something is "not even the least bit [adjective]." For example, we might say in English: "I am not at all hungry." In Chinese, we can use 一点(儿)也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù) or 一点(儿)都不 (yīdiǎnr dōu bù) to express "not at all [adjective]." </p> <h2>Contents</h2> <div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Used with Adjectives </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 Structure </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 Examples </span></li> </ul> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Used with Verbs </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li> </ul> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 See also </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Sources and further reading </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Books</span></li> </ul> </ul> </div> <h2>Used with Adjectives</h2> <p>The phrases 一点(儿)也不 and 一点(儿)都不 can both be used to express "not at all."</p> <h3>Structure</h3> <div class="deux">Subj. + 一点(儿) + 也 / 都 + 不 + Adj. </div> <h3>Examples</h3> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">那个 问题 一点儿 也 不 难 。 Nàge wèntí yīdiǎnr yě bù nán. That question isn't difficult at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这个 菜 一点 都 不 好吃 。 Zhège cài yīdiǎn dōu bù hǎochī. This dish isn't tasty at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 同事 一点 都 不 幽默 。 Wǒ tóngshì yīdiǎn dōu bù yōumò. My colleague is not humorous at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这个 笑话 一点 也 不 好笑 。 Zhège xiàohuà yīdiǎn yě bù hǎoxiào. This joke isn't funny at all.</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <h2>Used with Verbs</h2> <p>This describes the Subj. as being "not at all adjective" or "not even slightly adjective." Psychological verbs can also appear in place of the adjective in this structure.</p> <h3>Structure</h3> <div class="deux">Subj. + 一点 + 也 / 都 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] </div> <h3>Examples</h3> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 一点 也 不 喜欢 奶酪 。 Wǒ yīdiǎn yě bù xǐhuan nǎilào. I don't like cheese at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 一点 也 不 会 说 吗 ？ Nǐ yīdiǎn yě bù huì shuō ma? You can't speak at all? </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 一点 都 不 知道 这 件 事 。 Tā yīdiǎn dōu bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì. She doesn't know about this at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 儿子 一点 都 不 爱 玩 游戏 。 Wǒ érzi yīdiǎn dōu bù ài wán yóuxì. My son doesn't like to play games at all.</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <p>The phrases "一点也没 " and "一点都没 " can also be used to express "not at all ." This is used when the statement uses or implies the verb negative form of 有 in the past.</p> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 一点 也 没 生气 。 Wǒ yīdiǎn yě méi shēngqì. I wasn't angry at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 一点 都 没 准备 。 Tā yīdiǎn dōu méi zhǔnbèi. She didn't prepare at all. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">作业 他 一点 都 没 做 ？ Zuòyè tā yīdiǎn dōu méi zuò? He didn't do his homework at all? </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这个 菜 你们 怎么 一点 也 没 吃 ？ Zhège cài nǐmen zěnme yīdiǎn yě méi chī? Why didn't you eat this dish at all?</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <h3>See also</h3> <div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing "not even one" </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou"</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <h3>Sources and further reading</h3> <h4>Books</h4> <div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 36-7) →buy </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (pp. 37- 9) →buy</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> </body> </html>