Meaning of 不对
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- incorrect
- wrong
- amiss
- abnormal
- queer
How to use 不对
不对 is used to say an answer or idea is wrong, and it can also mean something feels off or abnormal. It often stands alone as a reply. Example: 你的答案不对。(Nǐ de dá'àn bùduì.) Your answer is wrong.
不 (bù) means not, and 对 (duì) means correct or right. Put them together and you get not right, which is simply wrong.
Common mistake: Learners often say 不 with a fourth tone here, but 不 changes to second tone before a fourth-tone syllable, so it is bú duì. Also do not mix it up with 对不起 (duìbuqǐ), which means sorry, not wrong.
不对 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
不 bù · no · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
对 duì · right · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 不对.
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint |
| 是不是 | shì bu shì | is or is not (used to form yes-no questions) |
| 不用 | bùyòng | need not |
| 不大 | bù dà | not very (clear, far away etc); not too; not often; infrequently |
| 不客气 | bù kèqì | you're welcome; don't mention it |
| 不要 | bùyào | don't!; must not |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely |
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right |
| 不行 | bùxíng | won't do; be out of the question |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing |
| 不够 | bùgòu | not enough; insufficient |
Questions about 不对
What does 不对 mean?
不对 (bùduì) means "incorrect; wrong" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 不对?
不对 is made of 2 characters: 不 (4 strokes), 对 (5 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 不对 an HSK word?
Yes. 不对 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 不对 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 不对 is written 不對.
Can 不对 mean something is strange, not just incorrect?
Yes. Phrases like 他今天有点不对 (tā jīntiān yǒudiǎn bùduì) mean he seems a bit off today. It describes something abnormal or not as it should be.
What is the difference between 不对 and 错 (cuò)?
Both can mean wrong. 错 often appears as a verb or in set phrases like 做错 (zuò cuò, do wrongly), while 不对 is a common standalone reply meaning that is not right.