Meaning of 不成
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- won't do
- unable to
- (at the end of a rhetorical question) can that be?
How to use 不成
不成 is used in speech to reject an idea, meaning 'that won't do', or after a verb to say something failed. At the end of a rhetorical question, often with 难道, it means 'can that really be?' Example: 难道他不来不成？ (Nándào tā bù lái bùchéng?) Could it be that he isn't coming?
不 (bù) means not, and 成 (chéng) means to succeed or become. So 不成 is something that does not succeed, a plan that won't work or won't do.
Common mistake: Learners often read 不成 at the end of a question as a real negative, but in 难道……不成 it only adds a rhetorical, doubtful tone. Also note the tone change: 不 is still fourth tone here, bùchéng, because 成 is second tone.
不成 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
成 chéng · to succeed · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 不成.
| 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 |
| 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; wrong |
| 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 |
| 成为 | chéngwéi | to become; to turn into |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct |
Questions about 不成
What does 不成 mean?
不成 (bùchéng) means "won't do; unable to" and is used as a verb and adjective.
How do you write 不成?
不成 is made of 2 characters: 不 (4 strokes), 成 (6 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 不成 an HSK word?
Yes. 不成 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 不成 and 不行?
Both can mean 'that won't do'. 不行 (bùxíng) is far more common in everyday speech. 不成 sounds a bit more colloquial or regional, and only 不成 is used in the rhetorical 难道……不成 pattern.
Can 不成 go after another verb?
Yes. It can show that an attempt failed, as in 他想去，结果没去成 or 事情办不成 (shìqing bàn bù chéng), meaning the matter cannot be done. Here 不成 works like a result complement meaning 'not able to succeed'.