不 meaning and stroke order
No; not so; (bound form) not; un-
How to write 不, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 不
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- no; not so
- (bound form) not; un-
How 不 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A bird flying toward the sky 一.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 不
Picture a bird flying up toward the sky, shown by the top line 一, but it cannot get past it. The bird is stopped, so 不 (bù) means no or not.
不 (bù) goes before verbs and adjectives to make them negative, and it is used for present, future, and habitual actions. It also appears in many set phrases like 不客气 (bù kèqì) and 对不起 (duìbuqǐ). Example: 我不喝咖啡。(Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.) I don't drink coffee.
Common mistake: Learners forget that 不 changes to second tone (bú) before a fourth-tone syllable, so 不要 is said bú yào and 不对 is bú duì. Another common error is using 不 with 有. The correct form is 没有 (méiyǒu), never 不有.
Common words with 不
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint | HSK 1 |
| 是不是 | shì bu shì | is or is not (used to form yes-no questions) | HSK 1 |
| 不用 | bùyòng | need not | HSK 1 |
| 不大 | bù dà | not very (clear, far away etc); not too; not often; infrequently | HSK 1 |
| 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; wrong | HSK 1 |
| 不客气 | bù kèqì | you're welcome; don't mention it | HSK 1 |
| 不要 | bùyào | don't!; must not | HSK 2 |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely | HSK 2 |
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right | HSK 2 |
| 不行 | bùxíng | won't do; be out of the question | HSK 2 |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct | HSK 2 |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing | HSK 2 |
| 不够 | bùgòu | not enough; insufficient | HSK 2 |
| 差不多 | chàbuduō | almost; nearly | HSK 2 |
不 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 不
Learning 不 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 不
How many strokes are in 不?
不 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 不 mean?
不 (bù) means no; not so; (bound form) not; un-. A common word with it is 对不起 (duìbuqǐ), meaning "I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint".
How do you pronounce 不?
不 is pronounced bù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 不?
The radical of 不 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 不 under this radical.
Is 不 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 不 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 不 and 没?
不 (bù) negates habits, wishes, and future actions, as in 我明天不去 (I won't go tomorrow). 没 (méi) negates past actions or possession, as in 我昨天没去 (I didn't go yesterday).
Why is 不 sometimes pronounced with a neutral tone?
When 不 sits between two words in a pattern or set phrase, it is often read lightly with no tone. Examples are 是不是 (shì bu shì) and 对不起 (duìbuqǐ).