About
The character "没" derives from its traditional form "沒", structured with the water radical "氵" alongside the component "殳", which implies an action or motion, initially conveying the concrete idea of sinking or submerging in water. From this literal sense, the meaning broadened to encompass notions of disappearance or loss, as objects that sink often vanish from view. Over time, this semantic extension led to the character's adoption as a negator, specifically to indicate the absence or non-existence of something, such as in the meaning "to not have" or "there is not", a function that gradually became central in its usage. This evolution from a verb describing a physical action to a term expressing negation demonstrates a shift from tangible to abstract linguistic application.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我没有手表。
他昨天没回家。
我没听到电话声。
这个地方没人来过。
如果你没时间，就别去了。
他根本没考虑我的建议。
由于没做好准备，我们失败了。
尽管没收到正式通知，他还是知道了。