Chinese Negation Words: Using Méiyǒu (Not, Have Not) and Bù (Not)

Quick Take

Chinese negation words没有【méiyǒu】and 不【bù】are commonly used to negate something. Here you learn when to use them, including 还没有【hái méiyǒu】, 还不【hái bù】, 从来没有【cónglái méiyǒu】and 从来不【cónglái bù】.

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Chinese uses different forms for negative action, depending on if the action is in the perfect aspect of a tense or the simple tense.

The negation word 没有 **【**méiyǒu】or its shorter form 没【méi】has several meanings depending on the grammar structure, as follows:

a. It means “not” for没有【méiyǒu】****+ Verb. It’s generally used for the negative of the past tense.

b. It means “has/have not done yet” for 还【hái】****+ 没有 【méiyǒu】****+ Verb. It’s generally used for the negative of the present perfect tense.

c. It means “not have” for 没有【méiyǒu】****+ Noun. Generally, it’s used for the negative of the past tense, present tense and future tense.

Negation In Chinese不 **【bù】**means “not” when it’s used before verbs to negate them. It’s generally used for present tense and future tense whereas 还【hái=still】****+不【bù=not】+ Verb means “still do/does not”.

从来没有 【cónglái méiyǒu=has/have never, never】…… 过【guò】or its shorten form从来没 【cónglái méi】…… **过【guò】**is used for things you have not ever experienced. It allows for the possibility of something occurring in the future.

从来不 **【cónglái bù=would never, always not】**is used for would never happen. It doesn’t allow for the possibility of something occurring in the future.

I. Chinese Negation没有【méiyǒu=not】 (or 没【méi=not】) + Verb

Here 没有【méiyǒu】 (or 没【méi】) means “not”. It’s generally used for the negative of the past tense.

Example:

Last week I didn’t go to library.

上个星期【shànggèxīngqī= last week】我【wǒ=I】没有**【**méiyǒu=not】去【qù=go】图书馆【túshūguǎn= library】。

上个星期【shànggèxīngqī= last week】我【wǒ=I】没**【**méi=not】去【qù=go】图书馆【túshūguǎn= library】。

上个星期我没有去图书馆。

上个星期我没去图书馆。

II. Chinese Negation 不【bù=not】+ Verb

Generally, it’s used for habitual actions, present tense and future tense.

Example 1:

Tomorrow older brother is not going to library.

明天【míngtiān=tomorrow】哥哥【gēgē=older brother】不【bù=not】去【qù=go】图书馆【túshūguǎn= library】。

明天哥哥不去图书馆。

不【bù=not】can’t be used with 有【yǒu=have, there is, exist】.

Chinese people don’t say:

明天【míngtiān=tomorrow】哥哥【gēgē=older brother】**不有【**bù yǒu】去【qù=go】图书馆【túshūguǎn= library】。

Wrong: 明天哥哥不有去图书馆。

Example 2: (habitual action)

Younger female cousin doesn’t drink cold water.

表姝【biǎomèi= (maternal) younger female cousin】不【bù=not】喝【hē=drink】冷水【lěngshuǐ=cold water】。

表姝不喝冷水。

III. Negation in Chinese 还【hái=yet】+ 没有【méiyǒu=not】 (or 没【méi=not】) + Verb + (呢【ne】)

Here还【hái】means “yet” and没有【méiyǒu】or 没【méi】 means “not”.

还没有【hái méiyǒu】 or还没【hái méi】+ Verb + (呢【ne】) means “has/have not done yet”. Generally, it’s used for the negative of the present perfect tense.

Example:

Your homework hasn’t been finished yet.

你的【nǐ de=your】作业【zuóyè=homework】还没有【hái méiyǒu=not yet】做好【zuò hǎo=finish】。

你的【nǐ de=your】作业【zuóyè=homework】还没【hái méi=not yet】做好【zuò hǎo=finish】。

你的作业还没有做好。

你的作业还没做好。

You can also add the particle呢【ne】at the end of the sentence to lighten the tone a bit. It will sound like a gentle reminder, more polite or friendly.

Example:

Your homework hasn’t been finished yet.

你的【nǐ de=your】作业【zuóyè=homework】还没【hái méi=not yet】做好【zuò hǎo=finish】呢【ne】。

你的作业还没做好呢。

IV. Negation in Chinese还【hái=still】+不【bù=not】+ Verb

Here还【hái】means “still”.

还【hái=still】_+_不【bù=not】+ Verb means “still do/does not”

还不【hái bù】is generally used for present tense, in which the situation is continuing at the time of speaking.

Example:

I still don’t believe him.

我【wǒ=I】还【hái=still】不【bù=not】相信【xiāngxìn=believe】他【tā=him】。

我还不相信他。

V. 没有【méiyǒu=not have】+ Noun

It’s used for past tense, present tense and future tense with an object.

Example 1:

I previously didn’t have a mobile phone.

以前【yǐqián=previously】我【wǒ=I】没有【méiyǒu=not have】手机【shǒujī=mobile phone】。

以前【yǐqián=previously】我【wǒ=I】没【méi=not have】手机【shǒujī=mobile phone】。

以前我没有手机。

以前我没手机。

Example 2:

I don’t have a mobile phone.

我【wǒ=I】没有【méiyǒu=not have】手机【shǒujī=mobile phone】。

我【wǒ】没【méi=not have】手机【shǒujī=mobile phone】。

我没有手机。

我没手机。

VI. 从来【cónglái】+ 没有【méiyǒu】(or没【méi】) + Verb + 过【guò】

从来【cónglái】means “at all times” or “always”.

Here没有【méiyǒu】or没【méi】 means “not”

过【guò】means “have experienced something”.

从来没有【cónglái méiyǒu=never, has/have never, never before】… 过【guò= have experienced something】or its shorter form从来没【cónglái méi】… 过【guò】means “for things you haven’t experienced”. It’s generally used for present perfect tense.

Example:

I have never tried shopping online.

我【wǒ=I】从来没有【cónglái méiyǒu= have never】在【zài=at】网上【wǎngshàng=Internet】买【mǎi=buy】过【guò=have experienced something】东西【dōngxi=thing】。

我【wǒ=I】从来没【cónglái méi=have never】在【zài=at】网上【wǎngshàng=Internet】买【mǎi=buy】过【guò=have experienced something】东西【dōngxi=thing】。

The literal meaning is I have never experienced buying a thing in the Internet.

我从来没有在网上买过东西。

我从来没在网上买过东西。