Negation with 不 and 没
不 (bù) and 没 (méi) are the two negators. 不 negates adjectives, habits and intentions, and 没(有) negates having something and actions that did not happen in the past.
没(有) (méi yǒu) negates:
- Completed actions: 我没吃饭。(I haven't eaten.)
- Possession/existence: 我没有书。(I have no book.)
Key Rule: Never use 不 with 有. Always use 没有.
| Situation | Correct | Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| No book (possession) | 没有书 | 不有书 |
| Didn't eat | 没吃 | 不吃 (changes meaning to 'won't eat') |
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他不去学校。 | Tā bù qù xué xiào. | He doesn't go to school. / He won't go to school. | 不 + verb 去: negates a habitual or future action. |
| 我不好，我很不好。 | Wǒ bù hǎo, wǒ hěn bù hǎo. | I'm not well, I'm really not well. | 不 + adjective 好: negates a state. 很 can intensify 不好. |
| 她没有吃饭。 | Tā méi yǒu chī fàn. | She didn't eat. / She hasn't eaten. | 没有 + verb: negates a completed or recent action. |
| 这里没有水。 | Zhè lǐ méi yǒu shuǐ. | There is no water here. | 没有 negates existence. Location + 没有 + thing. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
不 (bù)
Negates habits, plans, opinions and adjectives, not things that already happened.
Structure: 不 + Verb / Adjective
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我不喝咖啡。 | Wǒ bù hē kā fēi. | I don't drink coffee. |
| 这件衣服不贵。 | Zhè jiàn yī fu bú guì. | This piece of clothing is not expensive. |
| 明天我不上班。 | Míng tiān wǒ bú shàng bān. | I'm not working tomorrow. |
Not: 我不有钱。 有 is only negated with 没: 我没有钱。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, adverbs (否定副词); level 3, set phrases (四字格).
不 is also explained in: Potential Complements: V+得/不+V/Adj (HSK 3) · Potential complements: V得/不C (HSK 4).
没 (méi)
Negates completed actions, and negates 有.
Structure: 没(有) + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我昨天没去学校。 | Wǒ zuó tiān méi qù xué xiào. | I didn't go to school yesterday. |
| 他没带手机。 | Tā méi dài shǒu jī. | He didn't bring his phone. |
| 我家没有电视。 | Wǒ jiā méi yǒu diàn shì. | We don't have a TV at home. |
Not: 昨天我不吃早饭。 For something that did not happen in the past, use 没: 昨天我没吃早饭。
What this opens up
These patterns list Negation with 不 and 没 among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Negation with 不 and 没
What does 否定副词 (Negation with 不 and 没) mean in Chinese?
不 (bù) and 没 (méi) are the two negators. 不 negates adjectives, habits and intentions, and 没(有) negates having something and actions that did not happen in the past. It is an HSK 1 grammar point.
How do you use 否定副词 (Negation with 不 and 没) in a sentence?
他不去学校。 — Tā bù qù xué xiào. — He doesn't go to school. / He won't go to school. 不 + verb 去: negates a habitual or future action.
Where does 否定副词 (Negation with 不 and 没) come in the HSK sequence?
HSK 1, and none of its prerequisites are grammar points — nothing else on this reference has to come first, so you can start here.
What does 否定副词 (Negation with 不 and 没) lead to?
Affirmative-Negative Questions (HSK 1), Comparison Sentences with 比 and 没有 (HSK 1), Emphasis (HSK 3). Each of them names 否定副词 (Negation with 不 and 没) among its own prerequisites.
How do I say 'I haven't eaten yet' in Chinese?
Use 还没: 我还没吃饭。 It says the action has not happened so far.
Why can't I say 不有 in Chinese?
The negation of 有 is always 没有, never 不有. You say 我没有书, not 我不有书。
Negation with 不 and 没 is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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