不 (bù / bú) — not, no (negation)
HSK 1 | adverb | negates verbs and adjectives for present, future, or habitual
不 (bù / bú)
The primary negation word in Chinese. 不 negates actions in the present or future, habitual behaviors, states, and adjectives. It is pronounced bù in most contexts but changes to bú before fourth-tone syllables (tone sandhi).
Meanings
- [adverb] Not. Negates verbs, adjectives, and auxiliary verbs in present, future, or general statements.
不 vs. 没: the critical distinction
This is the most important grammar point for 不.
- Use 不 to negate present or future actions, habits, states, and adjectives.
- Use 没 to negate past completed actions or the verb 有 (to have).
| Correct | Incorrect | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 我不吃肉。(I don't eat meat.) | 我没吃肉。(would imply "I didn't eat meat" in the past) | 不 for habit |
| 我没吃早饭。(I didn't eat breakfast.) | 我不吃早饭。(would mean "I don't eat breakfast" as a habit) | 没 for past event |
| 我不高兴。(I am not happy.) | 我没高兴。(ungrammatical) | 不 for adjectives |
Example Sentences
我不喝咖啡。 Wǒ bù hē kāfēi. I don't drink coffee. (habitual)
今天我不去学校。 Jīntiān wǒ bù qù xuéxiào. I am not going to school today. (present/future plan)
她不高兴。 Tā bù gāoxìng. She is not happy. (state/adjective)
我不是学生。 Wǒ bú shì xuésheng. I am not a student. (identity statement; tone changes to bú before shì)
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 不好 | not good |
| 不是 | is not |
| 不去 | not going |
| 不知道 | don't know |
| 不客气 | you're welcome (lit. don't be polite) |
Memory Hook
不 is the default "no" for ongoing reality. If you are describing what something IS or IS NOT right now or in general, use 不. Save 没 for looking back at a past event. When in doubt about habits and states, 不 is correct.