Meaning of 从没
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- never (in the past)
- never did
How to use 从没
从没 is a shorter form of 从来没 or 从来没有, and it describes things that have never happened up to now. It often comes before a verb with 过 (guo). Example: 我从没去过北京。(Wǒ cóng méi qù guo Běijīng.) I have never been to Beijing.
从 (cóng) shows two people, one following the other, and here it means "from" or "ever since." Add 没 (méi, not have) and you get "from the start, not once," which means never.
Common mistake: Learners often use 从没 for habits or future plans, as in 我从没吃肉 meaning "I never eat meat." For a habit you need 从不 (cóng bù), as in 我从不吃肉, because 从没 only covers past experience.
从没 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.
从 cóng · from · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
没 méi · have not · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 从没.
| 没有 | méiyǒu | haven't; hasn't |
| 没什么 | méi shénme | it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind; think nothing of it; it's my pleasure; you're |
| 没关系 | méi guānxi | it doesn't matter |
| 没事儿 | méishìr | to have spare time; free from work |
| 从小 | cóngxiǎo | from childhood; from a young age |
| 从来 | cónglái | always; at all times |
| 没用 | méiyòng | useless |
| 自从 | zìcóng | since (a time); ever since |
| 从前 | cóngqián | previously; formerly |
| 从事 | cóngshì | to go for; to engage in |
| 没错 | méi cuò | that's right; sure! |
| 没想到 | méi xiǎngdào | didn't expect |
Questions about 从没
What does 从没 mean?
从没 (cóng méi) means "never (in the past); never did".
How do you write 从没?
从没 is made of 2 characters: 从 (4 strokes), 没 (7 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 从没 an HSK word?
Yes. 从没 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 从没 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 从没 is written 從沒.
What is the difference between 从没 and 从来没有?
They mean the same thing. 从来没有 is fuller and very common in speech, while 从没 is shorter and sounds a bit more written or compact.
Do I always need 过 after the verb with 从没?
Usually yes, since 过 marks past experience, as in 从没见过 (cóng méi jiàn guo, have never seen). With some adjectives or states you may see it without 过, as in 他从没这么高兴 (he has never been this happy).