不敢 vs 不能: what is the difference?
不能 says it is not possible or not allowed. 不敢 says you are afraid to do it. 我能说, 但是我不敢说 means I could say it, but I lack the nerve.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不敢 | bù gǎn | Says the subject does not dare, or is too scared or shy to do it. | subject + 不敢 + verb phrase |
| 不能 | bù néng | Says it is not possible or not allowed, with no idea of fear. | Subject + 不能 + Verb phrase |
不敢 (bù gǎn)
Says the subject does not dare, or is too scared or shy to do it.
Structure: subject + 不敢 + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 晚上我不敢一个人走这条路。 | Wǎn shang wǒ bù gǎn yí gè rén zǒu zhè tiáo lù. | At night I do not dare to walk this road alone. |
| 他不敢看这部电影，太吓人了。 | Tā bù gǎn kàn zhè bù diàn yǐng, tài xià rén le. | He does not dare to watch this film, it is too scary. |
| 我不敢吃辣的，一吃就肚子疼。 | Wǒ bù gǎn chī là de, yì chī jiù dǔ zi téng. | I do not dare to eat spicy food, it gives me a stomach ache. |
Not: 我不敢要告诉他。 Do not put 要 between them: 我不敢告诉他.
不能 (bù néng)
Says it is not possible or not allowed, with no idea of fear.
Structure: Subject + 不能 + Verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 病人不能喝酒。 | Bìng rén bù néng hē jiǔ. | Patients must not drink alcohol. |
| 这里不能停车。 | Zhè lǐ bù néng tíng chē. | You cannot park here. |
| 我明天有会，不能去。 | Wǒ míng tiān yǒu huì, bù néng qù. | I have a meeting tomorrow, so I cannot go. |
Not: 别不能说，大胆一点儿！ Holding back out of fear is 不敢, and 不能 says nothing about courage: 别不敢说，大胆一点儿！
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of 敢: dare to (HSK 4) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 不会 vs 不能 · 按照 vs 根据 · 及时 vs 立刻 · 记住 vs 记得 · 渐渐 vs 逐渐 · 将近 vs 大约 · 竟然 vs 居然 · 既然 vs 因为 · 看不懂 vs 没看懂 · 了 vs 过 · 连…都 vs 连…也 · 没有 vs 不如 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 不敢 and 不能?
不能 says it is not possible or not allowed. 不敢 says you are afraid to do it. 我能说, 但是我不敢说 means I could say it, but I lack the nerve.
GraphChinese drills each of these patterns and schedules the review that keeps it. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level