⇒ 在不久的将来 zài bùjiǔ de jiānglái → in the near future ⇒ 这片田地不久前刚开垦。 Zhè piàn tiándì bùjiǔ qián gāng kāikěn. → This land has only just been cultivated. ⇒ 他们不久就要结婚了。 Tāmen bùjiǔ jiùyào jiéhūn le. → They are getting married soon.
不乏
⇒ 这当中不乏知情者。 Zhè dāngzhōng bùfá zhīqíngzhě. → There is no shortage of people in the know about this.
不仅
( 不止 ) not just ⇒ 这不仅是学校的问题。 Zhè bùjǐn shì xuéxiào de wèntí. → This is not just the school's problem.
不但
not only ⇒ 这辆车的设计不但美观,而且实用。 Zhè liàng chē de shèjì bùdàn měiguān, érqiě shíyòng. → The design of this car is not only beautiful, it's also practical.
不免
inevitably ⇒ 竞争不免要有淘汰。 Jìngzhēng bùmiǎn yào yǒu táotài. → In competitions there is inevitably elimination.
不公
unfair
不凡
extraordinary
不利
( 不好 ) disadvantageous
不力
( 不尽力 ) ⇒ 领导常批评他办事不力。 Lǐngdǎo cháng pīpíng tā bànshì bùlì. → The boss frequently criticizes him for not doing his best.
不及
( 不如 ) be not as good as
不可
( 不可以 ) ⇒ 不可一概而论。 Bùkě yīgài ér lùn. → You can't generalize. ⇒ 植物生长,水和阳光两者缺一不可。 Zhíwù shēngzhǎng, shuǐ hé yángguāng liǎngzhě quē yī bùkě. → For plants to grow they must have both sun and water. ⇒ 我们不可忽视年轻人的心理健康。 Wǒmen bùkě hūshì niánqīngrén de xīnlǐ jiànkāng. → We shouldn't overlook the mental health of young people. ⇒ 我们对这些疾病不可不防。 Wǒmen duì zhèxiē jíbìng bùkě bù fáng. → We mustn't fail to take steps against such diseases.
不同
different
不堪
( 承受不了 ) cannot stand ⇒ 不堪其苦 bùkān qí kǔ → can't stand the hardship
不外
be limited to
不如
not be as good as ⇒ 论跑步你不如她。 Lùn pǎobù nǐ bùrú tā. → You are not as good as her at running. ⇒ 城里太吵,不如住在郊区。 Chéngli tài chǎo, bùrú zhù zài jiāoqū. → The city is too noisy - it's better living in the suburbs.
不妨
⇒ 你不妨先说说你的想法。 Nǐ bùfáng xiān shuōshuo nǐ de xiǎngfǎ. → There's no harm in saying what you think.
不安
( 指局势 ) unstable
不定
⇒ 这货他们还不定要不要呢。 Zhè huò tāmen hái bùdìng yào bù yào ne. → It's still not certain whether they want these goods or not.
不宜
not be suitable for ⇒ 这种菜不宜生食。 Zhè zhǒng cài bùyí shēngshí. → This kind of vegetable is not suitable for serving raw.
不少
a lot of ⇒ 她有不少好朋友。 Tā yǒu bùshǎo hǎo péngyou. → She has a lot of good friends.
不屈
not yield
不屑
disdain ⇒ 不屑一顾 bùxiè yī gù → disdain to look at ⇒ 他不屑金钱的诱惑。 Tā bùxiè jīnqián de yòuhuò. → He's scornful of the temptations of money. ⇒ 不屑的神情 bùxiè de shénqíng → a disdainful expression
不巧
unfortunate ⇒ 你来得真不巧,王医生不在。 Nǐ láide zhēn bùqiǎo, Wáng yīshēng bù zài. → Unfortunately, you haven't come at a good time - Dr Wang isn't here.
不平
unfair
不幸
( 不幸运 ) unhappy
不当
inappropriate ⇒ 用词不当 yòng cí bùdàng → use inappropriate words ⇒ 有不当之处,谨请包涵。 Yǒu bùdàng zhī chù, jǐn qǐng bāohán. → Please excuse any improprieties.
不必
⇒ 明天你们不必来了。 Míngtiān nǐmen bùbì lái le. → You don't have to come tomorrow.
不忍
not bear ( pt bore ) , pp born
不快
unhappy
不愧
be worthy of
不拘
( 不拘泥 ) not confine oneself
不敢
not dare ⇒ 她不敢说实话。 Tā bùgǎn shuō shíhuà. → She doesn't dare tell the truth.
不料
not anticipate ⇒ 不料下午下雨。 Bùliào xiàwǔ xiàyǔ. → I didn't anticipate it would rain in the afternoon. ⇒ 我们本想和她开个玩笑，不料她却当真了。 Wǒmen běn xiǎng hé tā kāi gè wánxiào, bùliào tā què dàngzhēn le. → We just wanted to have a laugh with her - we didn't expect her to take it so seriously.
不断
continually ⇒ 汽车不断减价。 Qìchē bùduàn jiǎnjià. → Cars are continually coming down in price. ⇒ 沙漠不断扩大。 Shāmò bùduàn kuòdà. → The desert is expanding all the time. ⇒ 人们的生活水平不断提高。 Rénmen de shēnghuó shuǐpíng bùduàn tígāo. → The quality of people's lives goes on getting better.
不是
fault
不曾
never ⇒ 我不曾见过你。 Wǒ bùcéng jiànguo nǐ. → I've never met you.
不服
not accept ⇒ 你如果不服判决还可以上诉。 Nǐ rúguǒ bùfú pànjué hái kěyǐ shàngsù. → If you don't accept the verdict, you can still appeal.
not so ⇒ 这两件事看似一样,其实不然。 Zhè liǎng jiàn shì kàn sì yīyàng, qíshí bùrán. → These two seem the same, but in fact it is not so.
不禁
cannot help ⇒ 我不禁失笑。 Wǒ bùjīn shī xiào. → I couldn't help laughing. ⇒ 众人不禁欢呼起来。 Zhòngrén bùjīn huānhū qǐlái. → The crowd were unable to restrain a cheer.
不管
⇒ 不管那女人怎么欺负我们,我们都不在乎。 Bùguǎn nà nǚrén zěnme qīfu wǒmen, wǒmen dōu bùzàihu. → No matter how that woman bullies us, we just don't care. ⇒ 不管你去什么地方,请一定和我保持联系。 Bùguǎn nǐ qù shénme dìfang, qǐng yīdìng hé wǒ bǎochí liánxì. → Wherever you go, please do keep in touch with me. ⇒ 不管什么人求你帮忙,你不要拒绝他们。 Bùguǎn shénme rén qiú nǐ bāngmáng, nǐ bùyào jùjué tāmen. → Whoever asks you for help, you shouldn't refuse them. ⇒ 不管出什么事,我们都要保持镇定。 Bùguǎn chū shénme shì, wǒmen dōu yào bǎochí zhèndìng. → Whatever happens, we must remain calm. ⇒ 不管有多少人反对,他们都坚持原计划。 Bùguǎn yǒu duōshǎo rén fǎnduì, tāmen dōu jiānchí yuán jìhuà. → It doesn't matter how many people disagree, they insist on implementing the original plan.
不胜
cannot bear ⇒ 不胜其苦 bùshèng qí kǔ → be unable to bear any more hardship ⇒ 他不胜酒力,终于醉倒了。 Tā búshèng jiǔlì, zhōngyú zuìdǎo le. → He had no tolerance for alcohol, and in the end fell down dead drunk.
no matter ⇒ 不论是谁,都必须遵守法规。 Bùlùn shì shuí, dōu bìxū zūnshǒu fǎguī. → No matter who you are, you have to abide by the regulations.
不轨
irregular ⇒ 这些人行为不轨引起了警察的注意。 Zhèxiē rén xíngwéi bùguǐ yǐnqǐle jǐngchá de zhùyì. → The irregular conduct of these people has attracted the attention of the police.
不过
( 仅仅 ) only ⇒ 不过是点小伤。 Bùguò shì diǎn xiǎoshāng. → It's only a slight injury. ⇒ 不过是点小伤,过几天就好了。 Bùguò shì diǎn xiǎoshāng, guò jǐ tiān jiù hǎo le. → It's only a slight injury. It'll be fine in a few days. ⇒ 宝宝不过6个月大。 Bǎobao bùguò liù gè yuè dà. → The baby is only six months old.
不错
correct
English translation of '不'
不
(bù)
副
(用于否定句) not
⇒ 我不喜欢游泳。 (Wǒ bù xǐhuān yóuyǒng.) I don't like swimming.
⇒ 不法 (bùfǎ) illegal
⇒ 不轨 (bùguǐ) undisciplined
⇒ 不诚实 (bù chéngshí) dishonest
⇒ 不人道 (bù réndào) inhumane
⇒ 他不抽烟。 (Tā bù chōuyān.) He doesn't smoke.
(用于否定回答) no
⇒ "你累了吧？" "不, 不累。" ("Nǐ lèi le ba? " "Bù, bùlèi. ") "Are you tired?" — "No, I'm not."
⇒ "你不忙吧？" "不，很忙。" ("Nǐ bù máng ba? " "Bù, hěn máng.") "You're not busy, are you?" — "Yes, I am."
(表示不能)
⇒ 我吃不下。 (Wǒ chī bù xià.) I can't eat it.
⇒ 你找不到她吗？ (Nǐ zhǎo bù dào tā ma?) Can't you find her?
⇒ 他中文学不好。 (Tā zhōngwén xué bù hǎo.) He's not good at Chinese.
(方, 用于问句)
⇒ 你饿不？ (Nǐ è bù?) Are you hungry?
(跟'就'搭配)
⇒ 周末,她不是购物,就是看电视。 (Zhōumò, tā bùshì gòuwù, jiùshì kàn diànshì.) If she doesn't go shopping at the weekend she'll watch TV.
(客套, = 不用)
⇒ 不客气。 (Bù kèqi.) Please don't mention it.
⇒ 不谢。 (Bù xiè.) You're welcome.
Negating sentences in Chinese is very straightforward: just use 不 (bù) before the verb. E.g. 我不喝酒。 (Wǒ bù hējiǔ) (I don't drink alcohol). The only exception is the verb 有 (yǒu), to have, for which you must use 没 (méi). E.g. 我没有钱。 (Wǒ méiyǒu qián.) (I don't have any money). 不 (bù) is fourth tone unless it is followed by another fourth tone syllable, in which caseit is usually pronounced as a second tone, eg. 不要 (búyào). For more information on tones, please see the introduction.