从不 (cóng bù) — never; not ever
HSK 3 | adverb | never — habitual negation applying to all past and present time
从不 (cóng bù)
从不 means "never" in the sense of a consistent habit or character trait — something that has never been done at any time and is simply not part of one's routine or nature. It negates habitual or repeated action, whereas 没有 negates a single completed event.
Meanings
- [adverb] Never; not ever — expresses that something has never happened habitually or as a matter of principle.
Pattern
Subject + 从不 + verb phrase
Note: 从不 is for habitual negation. Compare 从来不/从来没 (same meaning, slightly more emphatic), and 不 (simple present/future negation).
Example Sentences
她从不迟到。 Tā cóng bù chídào. She never arrives late.
他从不抱怨工作辛苦。 Tā cóng bù bàoyuàn gōngzuò xīnkǔ. He never complains that work is hard.
我从不喝酒，因为我对酒精过敏。 Wǒ cóng bù hējiǔ, yīnwèi wǒ duì jiǔjīng guòmǐn. I never drink alcohol because I am allergic to it.
这家店从不打折。 Zhè jiā diàn cóng bù dǎzhé. This store never gives discounts.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 从不迟到 | never be late |
| 从不抱怨 | never complain |
| 从不放弃 | never give up |
| 从不说谎 | never tell a lie |
| 从不后悔 | never regret |
Memory Hook
从 means "from (a starting point in time)." 从不 = "from any point in time, not" — in other words, never, at any time, ever.