不

bù

③ + 一

HSK 2.0Level 1

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

bù (adverb) not; no

Etymology

Pictograph of sepals of a flower. The modern meaning "no" is a phonetic loan.

About

不 originally depicted the sepals of a flower, a meaning now entirely obsolete. Its modern form, a top horizontal stroke 一 with intersecting strokes below, functions purely as an abstract symbol. Phonetically borrowed for the negative particle, it displaced earlier negators to become the primary word for "not" or "no" placed directly before verbs and adjectives. When the following syllable carries a fourth tone, the pronunciation changes from bù to bú, while the character's written shape remains constant.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这不是我的书。

Zhè bù shì wǒ de shū.

This is not my book.

我不知道答案。

Wǒ bù zhīdào dá'àn.

I do not know the answer.

她不喝咖啡。

Tā bù hē kāfēi.

She does not drink coffee.

今天不会下雨。

Jīntiān bù huì xiàyǔ.

It will not rain today.

我们不应该迟到。

Wǒmen bù yīnggāi chídào.

We should not be late.

他不同意我的观点。

Tā bù tóngyì wǒ de guāndiǎn.

He does not agree with my point of view.

如果不努力，就不会成功。

Rúguǒ bù nǔlì, jiù bù huì chénggōng.

If you do not work hard, you will not succeed.

尽管遇到了困难，他从不放弃。

Jǐnguǎn yù dào le kùnnán, tā cóng bù fàngqì.

Even though he encountered difficulties, he never gives up.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ③

Component: 一

Example Words