- There is no single direct translation for "no" in Chinese — the right word depends on context.
- The most common negation character is 不 (bù), which combines with verbs and adjectives to express refusal or disagreement.
- Different phrases carry very different tones: 不用 (bùyòng) sounds polite, while 不可能 (bù kěnéng) can sound harsh.
- 没有 (méiyǒu) is one of the most frequently used ways to say "no" in Mandarin, and it does not use 不 (bù) at all.
- Mastering the nuances between these expressions will make your Chinese sound more natural and help you avoid giving unintended offense.
If you're new to Mandarin (Putonghua), chances are you want to start with some basic Chinese words and phrases. After "hello" and "my name is," learning to say "no" in Chinese should be near the top of your list. When it comes to reading this article, just don't say no (🔈 不要 bùyào)!
01 No direct translation
Saying "no" is an essential conversational skill. That's especially true in China, where you're likely to receive all sorts of offers — both well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning — to buy and do all sorts of things. Want to visit a nice Chinese teahouse on Nanjing Road? (No.) Want to buy this LV bag? I promise it's authentic! (No.)
So how do you say "no" in Chinese? Unfortunately, there's no direct Chinese translation for the simple English "no." In general, the Chinese words or phrases needed to express negation vary depending on the situation. If you're planning to Learn Chinese in China, getting comfortable with these expressions early will make day-to-day interactions far smoother.
Although this may sound intimidating, it helps to remember that the ways we say "no" in English are also somewhat dependent on context. We have various different words or phrases, like "no way," "impossible," and "not a chance," each of which can be used in place of "no" when the situation calls for it.
Knowing more than just one or two ways to say "no" is a great way to make your Chinese sound more authentic. Check out the following guide to 10 ways to say "no" in Chinese for some ideas.
02 10 ways to say "no" in Chinese
1. 不是 | bùshì | no; is not; not be
One of the most common ways to say "yes" in Chinese is 是 (shì, to be). Therefore, it should come as no surprise that negating 是 (shì) by adding 不 (bù, not; no) is one way to say "no" in Chinese. When you say 不是 (bùshì), you are literally saying "not be."
Usually, 不是 (bùshì) is used when disagreeing with or disputing the truth of something someone else has said. If someone asks you a question with the intention of confirming a fact, you can respond with 不是 (bùshì) to indicate that what they've said is not true.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你是美国人吗？ | Nǐ shì měiguó rén ma? | Are you American? |
| 不是，我是英国人。 | Bùshì, wǒ shì yīngguó rén. | No, I'm British. |
不是的 (bùshìde) is another phrase that can be used to say "no" in Chinese. It sounds a bit more informal than 不是 (bùshì), but the two are used in almost the same way and are more or less interchangeable.
The characters 不 (bù) and 是 (shì) are both pronounced using a 4th (falling) tone. However, when the tone of the character that follows 不 (bù) is also a fourth tone, 不 will experience a tone change which will cause it to temporarily adopt the second (rising) tone. Therefore, even though the pinyin for 不是 is written bùshì, the phrase should actually be pronounced "búshì."
2. 不要 | bùyào | no; don't want
不要 (bùyào) is a common way to refuse or reject something in Chinese. It is used to indicate that you don't want something or don't want to do something. The phrase can be applied in various contexts to express refusal or negation in a direct yet polite manner. If you're traveling in China and find yourself navigating busy markets, 不要 is one of those handy Chinese travel phrases you'll reach for regularly.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你要喝茶吗？ | Nǐ yào hē chá ma? | Would you like some tea? |
| 不要，谢谢。 | Bùyào, xièxiè. | No, thank you. |
3. 不 | bù | no
If you search for the Chinese equivalent of the English word "no" in a popular Chinese dictionary like Pleco, chances are the first entry you see will be 不 (bù). For more lookup options including example sentences, see our guide to online Chinese dictionaries.
Although native speakers will understand that you mean "no" if you respond to every question with a simple 不 (bù), doing so will not make you sound very authentic. Using only 不 (bù) to respond may sound quite abrupt and even angry. For example, imagine that Person A is a mother trying to make up with her teenage daughter (Person B), with whom she has just been fighting. The mother suggests they go for a walk together, but the daughter is still angry and responds abruptly:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们去散步吧？ | Wǒmen qù sànbù ba? | Shall we go for a walk? |
| 不。 | Bù. | No. |
4. 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; not correct
In Chinese, 对 (duì) means "right" or "correct." Adding 不 (bù) in front of 对 (duì) allows you to say that something is "not right" or "incorrect." In general, you can use 不对 (bùduì) when you don't agree with someone's opinion or with a statement they have made.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这道题的答案是五，对吗？ | Zhè dào tí de dá'àn shì wǔ, duì ma? | The answer to this question is five, right? |
| 不对，答案是六。 | Bùduì, dá'àn shì liù. | That's not right, the answer is six. |
Note that since 对 (duì) is pronounced with a falling tone, the pronunciation of 不 (bù) changes to a rising tone when placed in front of 对 (duì). Thus, even though the official pinyin is still written as bùduì, you should pronounce it as "búduì."
5. 不行 | bùxíng | not ok; not alright
行 (xíng) means "OK" or "all right" in Chinese. As with 不是 (bùshì) and 不对 (bùduì) above, adding 不 (bù) in front of 行 (xíng) turns it into a negative. 不行 (bùxíng) can be roughly translated as "not OK" or "not all right."
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们明天去爬山行吗？ | Wǒmen míngtiān qù páshān xíng ma? | Is it OK if we go hiking tomorrow? |
| 不行，我明天要上班。 | Bùxíng, wǒ míngtiān yào shàngbān. | That won't work — I have to go to work tomorrow. |
Unlike 对 (duì) and 不 (bù), which are pronounced with falling tones, 行 (xíng) is pronounced with a rising tone. Therefore, the pronunciation of 不 (bù) does not change when the two are paired together.
6. 不可以 | bù kěyǐ | may not; cannot
不可以 (bù kěyǐ) is another phrase that can be used to say "no" in Chinese. It consists of 可以 (kěyǐ), which can be translated as "can" or "may," and the negative character 不 (bù). Taken together, the phrase 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) can be literally translated as "not can" or "not may." It is used in essentially the same way as the English "may not" or "can't" when responding negatively to a request or question.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我可以带我的狗进来吗？ | Wǒ kěyǐ dài wǒ de gǒu jìnlái ma? | Can I bring my dog in? |
| 不可以，这里不让进狗。 | Bù kěyǐ, zhèlǐ bù ràng jìn gǒu. | No, dogs aren't allowed in here. |
7. 不可能 | bù kěnéng | not possible
Want a stronger negative answer? Look no further than 不可能 (bù kěnéng). This phrase consists of the negative character 不 (bù), followed by 可能 (kěnéng), which in Chinese means "maybe" or "possibly." Add them together, and you get 不可能 (bù kěnéng), which means "not possible," "impossible," or "no way."
Use 不可能 (bù kěnéng) when you want to let someone know that whatever they have said is completely out of the question or impossible. Note that the meaning can change depending on context — when used to respond negatively to a request, 不可能 (bù kěnéng) sounds quite harsh and severe, indicating not only that you are refusing but also that you are unhappy the request was made.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他们明天能来吗？ | Tāmen míngtiān néng lái ma? | Can they come tomorrow? |
| 不可能，他们在外地。 | Bù kěnéng, tāmen zài wàidì. | Impossible — they're out of town. |
8. 不用 | bùyòng | no use; no need
If you are looking for a polite way to say "no" to someone's offer, 不用 (bùyòng) is the phrase for you. Although 不用 (bùyòng) also contains 不 (bù), its meaning is hard to guess from its component parts. 用 (yòng) in Chinese means "to use," so 不用 (bùyòng) could be translated literally as "not use" or "no use." However, its actual meaning is closer to "no thanks" or "there's no need."
In most cases where 不用 (bùyòng) is used, it can also be repeated as 不用，不用 (bùyòng, bùyòng). Repeating the phrase twice makes your response sound milder and more indirect.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我帮你拿行李吧？ | Wǒ bāng nǐ ná xínglǐ ba? | Let me help you with your luggage. |
| 不用，谢谢，我自己来。 | Bùyòng, xièxiè, wǒ zìjǐ lái. | No need, thank you — I've got it. |
Note that since 用 (yòng) is pronounced with a falling tone, the phrase 不用 (bùyòng) is actually pronounced "búyòng."
9. 没有 | méiyǒu | don't have; have not; no
Unlike all of the other ways to say "no" in Chinese we've discussed so far, 没有 (méiyǒu) does not contain the character 不 (bù). Don't let this fool you, though — 没有 (méiyǒu) is actually one of the most commonly used ways to say "no" in Mandarin (Putonghua).
If we break 没有 (méiyǒu) into its component parts, we get 没 (méi), which means "not," and 有 (yǒu), which is a verb meaning "to have." Thus, the literal translation of 没有 (méiyǒu) is "not have." Unsurprisingly, one of the ways 没有 (méiyǒu) is used is to tell someone that you don't have something. You can also use 没有 (méiyǒu) to talk about things that haven't happened yet or that you haven't done yet.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你有零钱吗？ | Nǐ yǒu língqián ma? | Do you have change? |
| 没有，对不起。 | Méiyǒu, duìbuqǐ. | No, sorry. |
| 你吃过北京烤鸭吗？ | Nǐ chīguò Běijīng kǎoyā ma? | Have you ever eaten Peking duck? |
| 没有，还没吃过。 | Méiyǒu, hái méi chīguò. | No, I haven't had it yet. |
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10. 不好意思 | bùhǎoyìsi | my bad; sorry
If you want to refuse someone's request in a polite way, consider using 不好意思 (bùhǎoyìsi) or 抱歉 (bàoqiàn). Both of these phrases mean "sorry." To use them correctly, be sure to pair them with the reason why you can't do whatever was requested. You can read more about the full range of apology expressions in our guide to saying sorry in Chinese, which covers everything from casual apologies to more formal situations.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你能帮我搬家吗？ | Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bānjiā ma? | Can you help me move? |
| 不好意思，我那天有事。 | Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ nà tiān yǒu shì. | I'm sorry, I have something going on that day. |
抱歉 (bàoqiàn) sounds somewhat more direct and formal than 不好意思 (bùhǎoyìsi) and is more likely to be used in professional contexts such as at work.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你能参加明天的会议吗？ | Nǐ néng cānjiā míngtiān de huìyì ma? | Can you attend tomorrow's meeting? |
| 抱歉，我明天出差。 | Bàoqiàn, wǒ míngtiān chūchāi. | I'm sorry, I'll be on a business trip tomorrow. |
03 "No" in other situations
Perhaps the most common way to say "no" in Chinese is to simply use 不 (bù) to negate the most important verb or adjective in the question you've been asked. Note that using this method usually requires some existing basic Chinese vocabulary so that you can identify the key words in the question and respond appropriately. Check out the examples below to see how this method works with some common Chinese verbs and adjectives:
If someone asks 你累吗？ (Nǐ lèi ma? — "Are you tired?"), you can reply 不累 (bù lèi — "Not tired") by negating the key adjective 累 (lèi). This same pattern applies to verbs: 你去吗？(Are you going?) → 不去 (Not going).
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你饿吗？ | Nǐ è ma? | Are you hungry? |
| 不饿。 | Bù è. | Not hungry. |
| 你喜欢吃辣吗？ | Nǐ xǐhuān chī là ma? | Do you like spicy food? |
| 不喜欢。 | Bù xǐhuān. | I don't like it. |
04 Watch and listen
Hearing these expressions used naturally in context is one of the best ways to internalize them. The video below walks through several common ways to say "no" in Mandarin:
05 Just say no!
Learning to say "no" is an important skill that every beginning Chinese student needs to master. Since refusing someone's suggestion or request can easily cause offense, it's especially important to master the nuanced differences between each of the different ways to say "no" in Chinese presented here. Doing so will help you avoid unintentionally hurting anyone's feelings.
One of the best ways to get a feel for which words work best in which contexts is full immersion in a Chinese-speaking environment. Whether you're wondering how hard Chinese really is to learn or you're already well on your way, putting these phrases into daily practice is the fastest route to making them second nature.
If it isn't possible for you to travel to China right now, consider creating your own online immersion environment with structured speaking practice — ideally with a teacher who can correct tones and usage in real time. If you want a guided starting point, begin with a free Chinese lesson.
If you've had enough of refusals for now, why not check out our article on how to say "yes" in Chinese? Or if you're building a broader study routine, our Chinese study plan guide can help you put all these expressions into a structured learning path.
好好学习，天天向上！
06 Essential vocabulary for saying no in Chinese
The following terms summarize all the key expressions covered in this guide, along with their meanings and usage notes.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning / Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 不是 🔈 | No; is not — used to dispute a factual claim | |
| 不要 🔈 | Don't want; no — used to refuse something offered | |
| 不 🔈 | No — general negation, but can sound abrupt on its own | |
| 不对 🔈 | Not right; incorrect — used to disagree with a statement | |
| 不行 🔈 | Not OK; won't work — used to decline or express inability | |
| 不可以 🔈 | May not; can't — used when something isn't permitted | |
| 不可能 🔈 | Impossible; no way — strong refusal, can sound harsh | |
| 不用 🔈 | No need; no thanks — polite refusal of an offer | |
| 没有 🔈 | Don't have; haven't — denying possession or completed action | |
| 不好意思 🔈 | Sorry; excuse me — polite refusal, informal contexts | |
| 抱歉 | I'm sorry — polite refusal, more formal contexts |
07 FAQ
Is there a direct translation for "no" in Chinese?
No — unlike English, Chinese does not have a single all-purpose word for "no." The right expression depends on context: what's being refused, whether it's a factual disagreement, a polite decline, or a strong rejection.
What is the most common way to say "no" in Mandarin?
不 (bù) is the most fundamental negation character in Mandarin, but it's rarely used alone. In practice, 不是 (bùshì), 不要 (bùyào), 不用 (bùyòng), and 没有 (méiyǒu) are among the most frequently heard in everyday speech.
How do I politely say "no" in Chinese?
不用 (bùyòng) and 不好意思 (bùhǎoyìsi) are both polite ways to decline. Pairing an apology phrase like 不好意思 or 抱歉 (bàoqiàn) with a brief reason is a natural and face-saving way to refuse in Chinese social contexts.
Why does 不 (bù) sometimes sound like "bú"?
This is a tone sandhi rule in Mandarin. 不 (bù) is normally fourth tone, but when it precedes another fourth-tone syllable, it changes to second tone (bú). This is one of several important tone changes in Mandarin that learners need to be aware of.
Can I use 没有 (méiyǒu) to say "no" to any question?
Not exactly — 没有 (méiyǒu) is specifically used to negate possession ("I don't have…") or completed actions ("I haven't…"). It's not a general-purpose "no" like some of the other expressions on this list.