Both can mean “not” in English, but Chinese uses them in different situations. Learn to choose naturally by asking: Is this a habit or choice, or something that didn't happen?
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01
Use 不 for habits, choices and opinions
Use 不 (bù) for what you don't usually do, don't want, or choose not to do. It also negates many adjectives and descriptions.
SUBJECT
我
wǒ · I
不 + VERB
不喝
bù hē · don't drink
OBJECT
咖啡
kāfēi · coffee
Subject + 不 + verb (+ object)
Habit
我不喝咖啡。
Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.
I don't drink coffee.
Future decision
我明天不去。
Wǒ míngtiān bú qù.
I'm not going tomorrow.
Feeling / preference
我不喜欢辣的。
Wǒ bù xǐhuan là de.
I don't like spicy food.
Description
今天不冷。
Jīntiān bù lěng.
It's not cold today.
Sherry's tip 💡 不 is usually pronounced bù, but before a fourth-tone syllable it is normally pronounced bú: 不去 — bú qù. The character stays written as 不.
02
Use 没 / 没有 for things that didn't happen or aren't there
Use 没 (méi) + verb when an action didn't happen or hasn't happened yet. Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to say you don't have something. Both may negate an event; 没有 is a little longer and often explicit.
SUBJECT / TIME
我昨天
wǒ zuótiān
没 + VERB
没去
méi qù
PLACE
学校
xuéxiào
Subject + 没(有) + verb (+ object)
Action didn't happen
我昨天没去学校。
Wǒ zuótiān méi qù xuéxiào.
I didn't go to school yesterday.
Not yet
我还没吃早饭。
Wǒ hái méi chī zǎofàn.
I haven't eaten breakfast yet.
Don't have something
我没有车。
Wǒ méiyǒu chē.
I don't have a car.
Not done
我还没写完作业。
Wǒ hái méi xiěwán zuòyè.
I haven't finished my homework yet.
Important: To negate a completed event, say 没 + verb: 我没吃早饭。Wǒ méi chī zǎofàn.I didn't eat breakfast. In this basic pattern, don't add completed-action 了 after the verb.
03
Compare the same action
These pairs look similar, but the meaning changes when you switch from 不 to 没.
不 · habit or choice
我不喝咖啡。
Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.
I don't drink coffee (in general).
没 · didn't happen
我没喝咖啡。
Wǒ méi hē kāfēi.
I didn't drink coffee (this time).
不 · decision
我明天不去。
Wǒ míngtiān bú qù.
I'm not going tomorrow.
没 · event didn't happen
我昨天没去。
Wǒ zuótiān méi qù.
I didn't go yesterday.
Very important: This is not a strict past vs. present rule. Yesterday you could say 我昨天不想出门。Wǒ zuótiān bù xiǎng chūmén.I didn't want to go out yesterday. 不 expresses the feeling of not wanting to go, even in the past.
04
Common mistakes to avoid
✗ Don't use 不有
我不有车。
Wǒ bù yǒu chē.
Not natural for “I don't have a car.”
✓ Negate 有 with 没有
我没有车。
Wǒ méiyǒu chē.
I don't have a car.
✗ Don't add completed-action 了
我没吃了早饭。
Wǒ méi chī le zǎofàn.
Not natural for “I didn't eat breakfast.”
✓ 没 + verb
我没吃早饭。
Wǒ méi chī zǎofàn.
I didn't eat breakfast.
Remember: Ask what you mean: habit / feeling / choice → 不; didn't happen / not yet / don't have → 没(有).
05
Quick quiz · 6 questions
Choose the best answer. Get immediate feedback and a simple explanation.
Question 1 of 6Score: 0 / 0
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06
Build a natural Chinese sentence
Tap the words in the correct order. Tap a word in your answer to move it back. Works on phones too!
Sentence 1 of 4
Build: I don't drink coffee.
Your sentence
Word bank
07
Speak like a real person!
Say these out loud. Think about whether 不 or 没(有) fits your meaning.
Tell someone one thing you don't usually eat or drink.
Tell a friend something you didn't do yesterday.
Tell Sherry something you haven't done yet today.
Say something you don't have.
Show sample answers ↓
我不喝咖啡。
Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.
I don't drink coffee.
我昨天没去学校。
Wǒ zuótiān méi qù xuéxiào.
I didn't go to school yesterday.
我今天还没吃早饭。
Wǒ jīntiān hái méi chī zǎofàn.
I haven't eaten breakfast yet today.
我没有车。
Wǒ méiyǒu chē.
I don't have a car.
Takeaway 🌸
不 = habit, feeling or choice · 没(有) = didn't happen, not yet or don't have
