不能

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Cannot" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 不能
Pinyin: bùnéng
Pronunciation: bu4 neng2
English Translation: Cannot

Usage:

"不能 (bùnéng)" is the most common way to say "cannot" in Chinese. It is used to express inability or prohibition.

Example:

Chinese: 我不能去。
Pinyin: Wǒ bùnéng qù.
English: I cannot go.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "不能 (bùnéng)" that you may hear:

不可以 (bù kěyǐ): Another way to say "cannot," which is often used in formal or written contexts.
不行 (bù xíng): A more informal way to say "cannot," similar to "no way" or "not possible" in English.

Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "不能 (bùnéng)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers saying "cannot" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "不能 (bùnéng)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

"不能 (bùnéng)" is typically followed by a verb to express what cannot be done.
For example:

我不能去学校。
Wǒ bùnéng qù xuéxiào.
I cannot go to school.

你不能在这里吸烟。
Nǐ bùnéng zài zhèlǐ xīyān.
You cannot smoke here.

"不能 (bùnéng)" can also be used to express prohibition or permission.

For example:

学生不能迟到。
Xuésheng bùnéng chídào.
Students cannot be late.

游客不能进入。
Yóukè bùnéng jìnrù.
Visitors cannot enter.