不 bù
-
bù
adverb
not; no
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Negation 否定
Notes: 不 is used for simple negation, as opposed to 没, which is used for existence. 不 is used before adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, except 有 (Li Shaoqi, 2003, p. 26; Ho 2002, '不'; NCCED '不' 1). For example, 不知道是怎回事 '[He] did not he did not know how that was possible.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 207) This use is similar in both modern and literary Chinese (Pulleyblank 1995, p. 103). For example, in literary Chinese, 不可,直不百步耳,是亦走也。'They should not do so. Though they did not run a hundred paces, yet they also ran away.' (Meng 1.3/1/26, translation by Legge) The tone is changed to bú when 不 is followed by a syllable with fourth tone, in accordance with tone sandhi 变调. For example, 不去 bú qù 'will not go' (Sun 2006, loc. 545). 不 is the sixth most frequently used word in the Beijing Language Institute's 1985 frequency wordlist (Ho 2002, '不'). -
bù
adverb
expresses that a certain condition cannot be acheived
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Negation 否定
Notes: In this pattern 不 is used after a verb to form a complement (Li Shaoqi, 2003, p. 27; NCCED '不' 7) For example, 洗不掉 'could not be washed away.' (Lao She, 2003, p. 211). -
bù
adverb
as a correlative
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Spoken Language
Notes: Used to form as a correlative with 就 in the pattern 不 ... 就 (NCCED '不' 9)... -
bù
adverb
no (answering a question)
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: 不 can be used independently to answer a preceding question (Li Shaoqi, 2003, p. 26; NCCED '不' 5). -
bù
adverb
forms a negative adjective from a noun
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Negation 否定
Notes: For example, 不运气 'unlucky' (NCCED '不' 4) -
bù
adverb
at the end of a sentence to form a question
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Spoken Language
Notes: In this form 不 is used at the end of the sentence to turn it into a question (NCCED '不' 6). -
bù
adverb
to form a yes or no question
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Spoken Language
Notes: In this form 不 is used to offer an alternative as part of a question (NCCED '不' 8). For example, 商量商量好不好? 'Can we talk about it?' (Lao She, 2003, p. 216) -
bù
infix
infix potential marker
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words , Concept: Negation 否定
Notes: 不 is one of the two infixes in Chinese, the other being 得 'can'. For example, 看不见 'cannot see' (Sun 2006, loc. 728).
Contained in
- 不离不弃(不離不棄) to stand by (sb) ; steadfast loyalty
- 不名数(不名數) abstract number
- 不约而同(不約而同) the same without prior consultation; to agree by chance
- 不慕富贵(不慕富貴) not desire riches and nobility
- 不当家不知柴米贵(不當家不知柴米貴) a person who doesn't manage a household would not be aware how expensive it is
- 不受 to not accept ; to not meet; to not encounter
- 不可抗力 force majeure
- 不佞 without eloquence; untalented; I, me (humble)
- 机不可失,失不再来(機不可失,失不再來) opportunity knocks but once
- 凹凸不平 uneven (surface); bumpy (road)
- 不拘 not stick to; not confine oneself to; whatever
- 不值钱(不值錢) of little value
- 不知道 do not know
- 不足 not worth ; not enough ; not capable ; not capable
- 不成 unsuccessful ; will not do; will not work ; don't tell me ...
- 成不了气候(成不了氣候) won't get far; unlikely to be successful
- 备而不用(備而不用) have something ready just in case; keep something for possible future use
- 不虚此行(不虛此行) the trip has not been made in vain; the trip has been well worthwhile; it's been a worthwhile trip
- 无一不精(無一不精) not one lacking in skill
- 不逞 to be dissatisfied
- 乳糖不耐症 lactose intolerance
- 疾雷不及塞耳 a bolt of thunder claps there is no time to block one's ears
- 不明觉厉(不明覺厲) although I don't understand it, it seems pretty awesome
- 高低不就 can't reach the high or accept the low
- 不胜其扰(不勝其擾) unable to put up with any longer
- 不划算 it isn't worth it; not cost-effective; not profitable; too expensive
- 罚不当罪(罰不當罪) disproportionate punishment; the punishment is harsher than the crime
- 一山不容二虎 the mountain can't have two tigers; this town ain't big enough for the two of us; (of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
- 闷声不响(悶聲不響) to keep silent
- 不在其位不谋其政(不在其位不謀其政) don't meddle in affairs that are not part of your position (Confucius)
- 不孝 unfilial
- 衣不解带(衣不解帶) to not undress or loosen the belt; always working
- 不息 not stopping ; not being wiped out; surviving ; not resting
- 不得不 cannot but; have to
- 不疑 to have no doubt; to trust
- 手不释卷(手不釋卷) always with a book in hand; (of a student or scholar) diligent and hardworking
- 不甘 unreconciled to; not resigned to; unwilling
- 不安席 to not be able to relax at a banquet
- 时代不同,风尚不同(時代不同,風尚不同) customs change with time; other times, other manners; O Tempora, O Mores!
- 不名誉(不名譽) disreputable; disgraceful
- 自不必说(自不必說) to not need dwell on
- 一着不慎,满盘皆输(一著不慎,滿盤皆輸) One careless move and the whole game is lost.
- 不符 inconsistent; not in agreement with; not agree or tally with; not conform to
- 万般带不去(萬般帶不去) nothing can be brought away
- 不怠 untiring; indefatigable
- 不怕 fearless; not worried (by setbacks or difficulties); even if; even though
- 不务正业(不務正業) not to engage in honest work; to ignore one's proper occupation; not to attend to one's proper duties
- 不以 not because of ; not use ; not care about
- 目不忍视(目不忍視) the eye cannot bear to see it; a scene too pitiful to behold
Also contained in
Word is mentioned most frequently in
Truncated for common words
- 昭公 Lord Zhao The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 375
- Daode Jing 《道德經》 Daode Jing 道德經 — count: 310
- 襄公 Lord Xiang The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 296
- Full Text Canon of Supreme Mystery 太玄經 — count: 238
- 僖公 Lord Xi The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 170
- 卷九十四 列傳第六十四 隱逸 Volume 94 Biographies 64: Hermits and Recluses Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 168
- 《龜策列傳》 Biographies of Diviners Records of the Grand Historian 史記 — count: 156
- 卷十一 魏書十一 袁張涼國田王邴管傳 Volume 11: Book of Wei 11 - Biographies of Yuan, Zhang, Liang, Guo, Tian, Wang, Bing, and Guan Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志 — count: 138
- 卷六 魏書六 董二袁劉傳 Volume 6: Book of Wei 6 - Biographies of Dong, the two Yuans, and Liu Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志 — count: 138
- 卷二十 志第十 禮中 Volume 20 Treatises 10: Rites Part Two Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 121