Both [不 (bù)](不 "wikilink") and [没 (méi)](没 "wikilink") can be
placed in front of a verb or adjective to negate its meaning. However,
不 (bù) and 没 (méi) are not usually interchangeable, so it's important
to learn when you must use 不 (bù) as opposed to 没 (méi), and vice
versa.

不 (bù) Negates in the Present and Future
-----------------------------------------

不 (bù) is generally used to negate an action that you *do not want to
do* or *do not intend to do* (in the future). So expressing things like
"I don't want to go" or "I'm not going" would be uses of 不 (bù).

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不 + Verb

</div>
### Examples

Whether it's "don't wanna do it" or "not gonna do it," use 不 (bù):

<div class="liju">
-   我 今天 晚上 <em>不</em> 喝酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān
    wǎnshang <em>bù</em> hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">Tonight I'm
    not going to drink.</span>
-   爸爸 <em>不</em> 回来 吃 晚饭。<span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>bù</em>
    huílái chī wǎnfàn.</span><span class="trans">Dad is not coming back
    to eat dinner.</span>
-   老板 明天 <em>不</em> 来 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn míngtiān
    <em>bù</em> lái.</span><span class="trans">The boss won't come
    tomorrow.</span>
-   我 知道 这 个 周末 <em>不</em> 下雨。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdào
    zhège zhōumò <em>bù</em> xiàyǔ.</span><span class="trans">I know
    it's not going to rain this weekend.</span>
-   你 女朋友 <em>不</em> 跟 你 一起 去 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
    nǚpéngyou <em>bù</em> gēn nǐ yīqǐ qù ma?
    </span><span class="trans">Is your girlfriend not going with you?
    </span>

</div>
不 (bù) Negates Habitual Actions
--------------------------------

不 (bù) can be used to negate habitual actions, to express what you just
aren't in the habit of doing, such as eating meat, or watching TV, or
drinking alcohol. This is simply done by placing 不 (bù) in front of the
verb.

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不 + Verb + Obj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>不</em> 吃 肉。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> chī
    ròu.</span><span class="trans">I don't eat meat.</span>
-   你们 都 <em>不</em> 喝酒 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen dōu
    <em>bù</em> hējiǔ ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you all not drink
    alcohol?</span>
-   他 <em>不</em> 喜欢 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù</em> xǐhuan
    shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't like to speak.</span>
-   你 <em>不</em> 用 手机 看书 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em>
    yòng shǒujī kàn shū ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not use
    your phone to read books? </span>
-   你 晚上 <em>不</em> 洗澡 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ wǎnshang
    <em>bù</em> xǐzǎo ma? </span><span class="trans">Don't you shower at
    night?</span>

</div>
Please note that, while it is grammatically correct to use 没 (méi) in
all the sentences above, 没 (méi) does not negate any *habitual*
actions. The sentences above, if they contained 没 (méi) instead of 不
(bù), would express that the speaker *didn't do* the named activity (at
one particular point *in the past*). So it would not be about *habitual
actions*.

不 (bù) Is Normally Used with Adjectives
----------------------------------------

When it comes to a simple negation of an adjective (such as "not cold"),
use 不 (bù).

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
不 + Adj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   我们 <em>不</em> 饿。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù</em>
    è.</span><span class="trans">We're not hungry.</span>
-   你 <em>不</em> 胖。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em>
    pàng.</span><span class="trans">You are not fat.</span>
-   我 家 <em>不</em> 远。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>bù</em>
    yuǎn.</span><span class="trans">My home is not far.</span>
-   今天 <em>不</em> 冷。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>bù</em>
    lěng.</span><span class="trans">Today it isn't cold.</span>
-   我 觉得 Starbucks 的 咖啡 <em>不</em> 好喝。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    juéde Starbucks de kāfēi <em>bù</em>
    hǎohē.</span><span class="trans">I think the coffee at Starbucks
    isn't good.</span>

</div>
不 (bù) Is for Asking Questions
-------------------------------

There are couple ways to use 不 (bù) to ask questions. One such way is
through [affirmative-negative
questions](Affirmative-negative_question "wikilink"). This is done by
stating a verb and then immediately repeating that verb in a negative
state (with 不 (bù)).

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + 不 + Verb + Obj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   你 是 不<em>是</em> 我 的 老师？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì
    <em>bu</em> shì wǒ de lǎoshī? </span><span class="trans">Are you my
    teacher or not? </span>
-   她 想 <em>不 </em> 想 来？<span class="pinyin">Tā xiǎng <em>bu</em>
    xiǎnglái? </span><span class="trans">Does she want to come?</span>
-   你 爱 <em>不</em> 爱 我？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ ài <em>bu</em> ài
    wǒ? </span><span class="trans">Do you love me or not? </span>
-   你们 周末 上 <em>不</em> 上班？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zhōumò
    shàng <em>bu</em> shàngbān? </span><span class="trans">Do you all go
    to work on weekends? </span>
-   你 的 外国 朋友们 喜 <em>不</em> 喜欢 吃
    中国菜？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de wàiguó péngyoumen xǐ <em>bu</em>
    xǐhuan chī Zhōngguó cài? </span><span class="trans">Do your foreign
    friends like to eat Chinese food? </span>

</div>
不 (bù) can also be used to form [tag
questions](Tag_questions_with_"bu" "wikilink"). Tag questions use the
positive-negative question form, but are placed at the end of the
sentence. Tag questions are used to seek approval or acceptance for a
statement, very similar to the English "OK?" or "right?" You can't use
没 (méi) for this.

<div class="liju">
-   我们 去 吃饭 ，好 <strong>没</strong> 好？<span class="pinyin">
    Wǒmen qù chīfàn, hǎo <strong>méi</strong> hǎo? </span>
-   我们 去 吃饭 ，好 <em>不</em> 好？<span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen qù
    chīfàn, hǎo <em>bu</em> hǎo? </span><span class="trans">Let's go
    eat, is that OK? </span>
-   你们 是 好 朋友 ，对 <strong>没</strong>
    对？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen shì hǎo péngyou, duì
    <strong>méi</strong> duì? </span>
-   你们 是 好 朋友 ，对 <em>不</em> 对？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen shì
    hǎo péngyou, duì <em>bu</em> duì? </span><span class="trans">You are
    good friends, right?</span>

</div>
没 (méi) Negates Past Actions
-----------------------------

没 (méi) and 没有 (méiyǒu) can both be used to [negate actions that
occurred in the
past](Negation_of_past_actions_with_"meiyou" "wikilink"), or to say that
something has not happened yet.

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 没(有) + Verb + Obj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   他 <em>没有</em> 打 电话 给 我 。<span class="pinyin">Tā
    <em>méiyǒu</em> dǎ diànhuà gěi wǒ.</span><span class="trans">He did
    not give me a call.</span>
-   你 <em>没</em> 去 上班 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>méi</em> qù
    shàngbān ma? </span><span class="trans">You didn't go to work?
    </span>
-   我 昨天 <em>没</em> 喝酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān
    <em>méi</em> hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I did not drink
    alcohol yesterday.</span>
-   妈妈 <em>没有</em> 做 晚饭。<span class="pinyin">Māma
    <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò wǎnfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom did not
    cook dinner.</span>
-   他们 吃 完 饭 以后 <em>没</em> 付 钱。<span class="pinyin"> Tāmen
    chī wán fàn yǐhòu <em>méi</em> fù
    qián.</span><span class="trans">They didn't pay after they finished
    eating.</span>
-   我 昨天 <strong>不</strong> 喝酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān
    <strong>bù</strong> hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I not drink
    wine yesterday.</span>
-   我 上个 周末 <strong>不</strong> 跟 他 见面。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    shàng gè zhōumò <strong>bù</strong> gēn tā
    jiànmiàn.</span><span class="trans">I not meet with him last
    weekend.</span>
-   上个月 你 <strong>不</strong> 去 北京 吗？ <span class="pinyin">
    Shàng gè yuè nǐ <strong>bù</strong> qù Běijīng?
    </span><span class="trans">You not go to Beijing last month?</span>

</div>
There are a few things worth noting in these examples. For one, it is
still grammatically correct to leave out the 有 (yǒu) in the sentences
using 没有 (méiyǒu). Also, the sentences using 不 (bù) *would be*
grammatically correct, if not for the time words telling us that it is
definitely the **past** we're talking about.

Only 没 (méi) Negates 有 (yǒu)
------------------------------

[没 (méi) can be used to negate the verb 有
(yǒu)](Negation_of_past_actions_with_"meiyou" "wikilink") ("to have") to
mean "do not have." You can only use 没 (méi) to convey this meaning. It
is grammatically incorrect to use 不 (bù) to negate 有 (yǒu).

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 没有 + Obj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   我 <strong>不 有</strong> 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù
    yǒu</strong> qián.</span>
-   我 <em>没有</em> 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em>
    qián.</span><span class="trans">I don't have money.</span>
-   他 <strong>不 有</strong> 女朋友。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>bù
    yǒu</strong> nǚpéngyou.</span>
-   他 <em>没有</em> 女朋友。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em>
    nǚpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't have a
    girlfriend.</span>

</div>
There are times when you can leave out 有 (yǒu) entirely while still
expressing 没有 (méiyǒu), (meaning "to not have" or "there is no"). One
well-known example of this is [没办法 (méi
bànfǎ)](Inability_with_"mei_banfa" "wikilink") ("there is no way"
\[that's gonna happen\]). Both 没 (méi) and 没有 (méiyǒu) are correct,
however.

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没</em> 办法。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em>
    bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans">I don't have a way.</span>
-   我 <em>没有</em> 办法。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em>
    bànfǎ.</span><span class="trans">I don't have a way.</span>

</div>
(You can also [use 没办法 (méi
bànfǎ)](Inability_with_"mei_banfa" "wikilink") to express other
meanings.)

没 (méi) Is for Making Comparisons
----------------------------------

没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) can be used to make [simple
comparisons](basic_comparisons_with_"meiyou" "wikilink") meaning "not
as... as...":

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adj.

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   你 <strong>不 有</strong> 我 高。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>bù
    yǒu</strong> wǒ gāo.</span>
-   你 <em>没有</em> 我 高。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>méiyǒu</em> wǒ
    gāo.</span><span class="trans">You are not as tall as me.</span>
-   我 的 手机 <strong>不 有</strong> 他 的 手机 贵。
    <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de shǒujī <strong>bù yǒu</strong> tā de
    shǒujī guì.</span>
-   我 的 手机 <em>没有</em> 他 的 手机 贵。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de
    shǒujī <em>méiyǒu</em> tā de shǒujī
    guì.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone isn't as expensive as
    his.</span>
-   我们 都 <strong>不 有</strong> 老板 忙。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen
    dōu <strong>bù yǒu</strong> lǎobǎn máng.</span>
-   我们 都 <em>没有</em> 老板 忙。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen dōu
    <em>méiyǒu</em> lǎobǎn máng.</span><span class="trans">We all are
    not as busy as the boss.</span>
-   上海 的 冬天 <strong>不 有</strong> 北京 的 冬天
    冷。<span class="pinyin"> Shànghǎi de dōngtiān <strong>bù
    yǒu</strong> Běijīng de dōngtiān lěng.</span>
-   上海 的 冬天 <em>没有</em> 北京 的 冬天 冷。<span class="pinyin">
    Shànghǎi de dōngtiān <em>méiyǒu</em> Běijīng de dōngtiān
    lěng.</span><span class="trans">Shanghai winters are not as cold
    Beijing winters.</span>

</div>
You can only use 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) for this purpose, and **not**
不 (bù).

不 (bù) Is Used Almost Exclusively with Certain Verbs
-----------------------------------------------------

Certain verbs just don't get negated by 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) ever.
These include the verbs 是 (shì) ("to be") and 在 (zài) ("to be (in a
place)"), as well as some psychological verbs such as 知道 (zhīdào) ("to
know") and 认识 (rènshi) ("to know (a person)"). For these verbs, it's
best to just take them on a case-by-case basis. Being aware of their
existence can save you a fair bit of confusion.

<div class="liju">
-   他 以前 <strong>没</strong> 是 我的 老板。<span class="pinyin">Tā
    yǐqián <strong>méi</strong> shì wǒ de lǎobǎn.</span>
-   他 以前 <em>不</em> 是 我的 老板。<span class="pinyin">Tā yǐqián
    <em>bù</em> shì wǒ de lǎobǎn.</span><span class="trans">He was not
    my boss before.</span>
-   我 <strong>没</strong> 知道 他 要 来 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <strong>méi</strong> zhīdào tā yào lái.</span>
-   我 <em>不</em> 知道 他 要 来。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em>
    zhīdào tā yào lái.</span><span class="trans">I didn't know he was
    coming.</span>
-   他 小 时候 <strong>没</strong> 认识 她 。<span class="pinyin">Tā
    xiǎo shíhou <strong>méi</strong> rènshi tā.</span>
-   他 小时候 <em>不</em> 认识 她。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiǎo shíhou
    <em>bù</em> rènshi tā.</span><span class="trans">He did not know her
    when he was young.</span>
-   昨天 我 <strong>没</strong> 在 家。<span class="expl">Use of 没 with
    在 is technically incorrect, but you sometimes hear
    it.</span><span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ <strong>méi</strong> zài
    jiā.</span>
-   昨天 我 <em>不</em> 在 家 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ
    <em>bù</em> zài jiā.</span><span class="trans">I was not home
    yesterday.</span>

</div>
Note that in non-standard Mandarin you might encounter exceptions to
this rule. It's still useful to know the rule!

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Websites

-   <http://www.docin.com/p-20925643.html>
-   <http://wenku.baidu.com/view/e2e8eb2ce2bd960590c67703.html>
-   ChinesePod Qing Wen: [When To Use “不” bù and “没”
    méi?](https://chinesepod.com/lessons/when-to-use-“不”-bu-and-“没”-mei)

### Videos

-   Yoyo Chinese: [Negation word
    不](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=340G2Sw4Z50&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD)
-   Yoyo Chinese: [Negation word
    没](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMaE2w7C5qI&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD&index=12)

### Books

-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (pp.
    141-4)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    137-9)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    1 (新实用汉语课本1)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1) "wikilink") (p.
    87)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader 1
    (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    102, 250-1)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235)
-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (pp.
    54-5)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    3 (新实用汉语课本3)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(新实用汉语课本3) "wikilink") (pp.
    33-4)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X)
-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (p.
    51)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (p.
    382)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [Practicing HSK
    Grammar (语法精讲精炼)](Practicing_HSK_Grammar_(语法精讲精炼) "wikilink") (p.
    32)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI)
-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (p.
    383)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    31)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
    (1st ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(1st_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    85-86)　[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader 1
    (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    218)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401)
-   [Reference:Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and
    Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 -
    初中级)](Reference:Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(汉语语法百项讲练_-_初中级) "wikilink")(不
    没p.156)[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ)
-   [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
    (基础汉语40课上册）](40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课上册） "wikilink") (p.
    157-8)[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20)

[Category:grammar comparison](Category:grammar_comparison "wikilink")