不

Learning Chinese: How to Say "No" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 不
Pinyin: bù
Pronunciation: bu4
English Translation: No

Usage:

"不 (bù)" is the most common way to say "no" in Chinese. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Example:

Chinese: 我不饿。
Pinyin: Wǒ bù è.
English: I'm not hungry.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "不 (bù)" that you may hear:

没有 (méi yǒu): Literally means "not have," but can also be used to mean "no."
不行 (bù xíng): Literally means "not行(xíng)," which can mean "not possible" or "not allowed."
不可以 (bù kěyǐ): Literally means "not can," and is used to express prohibition or impossibility.

Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "不 (bù)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers saying "no" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "不 (bù)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

"不 (bù)" is typically placed before the verb in a sentence.
To say "no" to a request, you can say "不，谢谢 (bù, xièxie)", which means "no, thank you."
In some regions of China, people may also use "没有 (méi yǒu)" to say "no" to a request.