没 meaning and stroke order
(negative prefix for verbs) have not; not
How to write 没, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 没
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (negative prefix for verbs) have not; not
- drowned
- to end
- to die
- to inundate
How 没 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 殳 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 没
没 combines water 氵 with 殳, which gives the sound. Picture something sinking under the water until it is gone, and you have both 'to sink' (mò) and 'not have' (méi).
As méi, 没 negates 有 (yǒu) and past actions, so it means 'have not' or 'did not'. It appears in many everyday phrases like 没关系 (méi guānxi) and 没事儿 (méishìr). Example: 我没有钱。(Wǒ méiyǒu qián.) I don't have money.
Common mistake: Learners often use 不 (bù) where 没 is needed. Say 我没去 (wǒ méi qù) for 'I didn't go', not 我不去, which means 'I won't go'. Also never say 不有. The negative of 有 is always 没有.
Common words with 没
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 没有 | méiyǒu | haven't; hasn't | HSK 1 |
| 没什么 | méi shénme | it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind; think nothing of it; it's my pleasure; you're | HSK 1 |
| 没关系 | méi guānxi | it doesn't matter | HSK 1 |
| 没事儿 | méishìr | to have spare time; free from work | HSK 1 |
| 没用 | méiyòng | useless | HSK 3 |
| 没错 | méi cuò | that's right; sure! | HSK 4 |
| 没想到 | méi xiǎngdào | didn't expect | HSK 4 |
| 没法儿 | méifǎr | (coll.) can't do anything about it; (coll.) there's no way that ...; it's simply not credi | HSK 4 |
| 有没有 | yǒu méiyǒu | (before a noun) Do (you, they etc) have ...?; Is there a ...? | HSK 6 |
| 从没 | cóng méi | never (in the past); never did | HSK 6 |
| 没收 | mòshōu | to confiscate; to seize | HSK 6 |
| 没意思 | méi yìsi | boring; of no interest | HSK 7-9 |
| 没完没了 | méiwán-méiliǎo | without end; incessantly | HSK 7-9 |
| 没劲 | méijìn | to have no strength; to feel weak | HSK 7-9 |
没 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 没
How many strokes are in 没?
没 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 没 mean?
没 (méi) means (negative prefix for verbs) have not; not. A common word with it is 没有 (méiyǒu), meaning "haven't; hasn't".
How do you pronounce 没?
没 is pronounced méi, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 没?
The radical of 没 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 没 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 没?
The traditional form of 没 is 沒. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 没 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 没 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 没 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.
When is 没 pronounced mò instead of méi?
It is read mò when it means to sink, drown, or disappear, as in 淹没 (yānmò) to flood or submerge and 没收 (mòshōu) to confiscate. In everyday negation it is always méi.
Can I drop 有 and just say 没?
Yes. In speech 没 alone often stands for 没有, as in 我没钱 (wǒ méi qián) or 他没来 (tā méi lái). At the end of a question, though, people usually say 有没有 or end with 没有, as in 你吃了没有？