看书 = reading, read, to read.

 
书 = book,magazine... 
有 = own sth., or have sth.or have got sth. 
没 = not, not yet. 
没有 = don't have, or have nothing. or didn't do sth. 

1.我不看书 (wo bu kan shu) 

i don't read books. 

2.我没有书 (wo mei you shu) 

i don't have books. 
i have no books. 
i've got no books. 

3.我没有看书 (wo mei you kan shu) 

i am not reading. 
i didn't read. 

4.我还没书 (wo hai mei shu) 

i haven't got a book yet. 

5.我还没看书 (wo hai mei kan shu) 

i haven't read the book yet. 

6.我还没有看书 
i havn't read the book yet. 

5 and 6 have the same meaning. 

some examples 

我不回家 wo bu hui jia 

i am not going home. 
usually we say with "doing". 

我没有家 wo mei you jia 

i have no home/family. 
i don't have a family. 
i've got no family(-members). 

我没有回家 
i didn't go home. 
usually we say with "din't do". 

我还没（成）家 
i haven't have a family yet. 

我还没回家 
i haven't got home yet. 
回家 = go home 
in this sentence, 回家= 到家 dao jia= get home 

我还没有回家 
i haven't got home.

没 have negative meanings. 

when the word followed is a noun, like 没书(shu1, book) 没人
(ren2,person) 没钱(qian2, money), the meaning of 没，is as the same
meaning as 没有(don't have,haven't got) 

when the ord followed is a verb, like 没走(zou3,go or leave) 没看

(kan4,watch,look,read) 没吃(chi1,eat), the meaning is around the verb
meaning, 没= don't，didn't. 
but if you want to express that the action is not finished, you could also
use 没，没有 or 还没。

The way I understand it is 没 used for verbs and 不 is used for

everything else.

For example: He didn't go to school today = 他今天没去学校.

Qu is a verb so mei is used to negate it.

And bu is used here: for example: 我不喜欢下雪. i don't like it

when it snows. Here you are negating the word like.

This a tricky one because although there is a rule it sometimes

doesn't apply as with all grammatical rules there always seems
to be an exception to it.

It will become clearer the more you study. i remember my first

chinese teacher saying saying that as long as you never say 不
有 and always 没有 you will be ok:) I think you find it easier as
you progress.

不喜欢 is correct because it describes a general state of things

- I generally dislike something (not specific to any particular
period of time).

A better answer include that 喜欢 is a verb that isn't completed

(i.e. I can't complete the action "like"), thus I either do it, or don't
(不). Other verbs, such as 去, can be successfully completed,
so normally for past actions you would say it was or wasn't (没)
completed. That's only a slightly more nuanced answer, and
probably too broad (or poorly worded) for someone that has
studied grammar thoroughly. 

不 can't be followed by nouns while 没 can't be followed by

adjectives. see below:

adj.：不漂亮 没漂亮(WRONG)
v.：不吃 没吃
n．：不信心(WRONG) 没信心
 The difference between”不+V.”and “没+V.” is the latter indicates
a action taking place in the past. 
 2

Both 不 (bù) and 没 (méi) can be placed in front of a

verb or adjective to negate its meaning. However, 不
(bù) and 没 (méi) are not usually interchangeable, so it's
important to learn when you must use 不 (bù) as
opposed to 没 (méi), and vice versa.

不 is for negating in the present and

future
不 (bù) is generally used to negate an action that
you do not want to do or do not intend to do (in the
future). So expressing things like "I don't want to
go" or "I'm not going" would be uses of 不 (bù).
Structure

Subject + 不 + Verb

Examples
Whether it's "don't wanna do it" or "not gonna do
it," use 不 (bù):
 我 今天 晚上 不 吃 饭 。Wǒ jīntiān
wǎnshang bù chī fàn.I am not eating tonight.
 我 今天 晚上 不 想 吃 饭 。Wǒ jīntiān
wǎnshang bù xiǎng chī fàn.Tonight I don't
want to eat.
 他 不 去 公园 。Tā bù qù gōngyuán.He's
not going to the park.
 他 不 要 去 公园 。Tā bù yào qù
gōngyuán.He doesn't want to go to the park.
 老板 今天 不 来 公司 。Lǎobǎn
jīntiān bù lái gōngsī.The boss won't come to
work today.
 我 现在 不 知道 。Wǒ xiànzài bù zhīdao.I
don't know right now.
 我 知道 明天 不 下雨 。Wǒ zhīdao
míngtiān bù xiàyǔ.I know it's not going to rain
tomorrow.
 我 不 想 跟 他 一起 去 。Wǒ bù xiǎng
gēn tā yīqǐ qù.I don't want to go with him.
 下 个 星期 我们 不 去 北京 ， 我们 去
上海 。Xià gè xīngqī wǒmen bù qù
Běijīng, wǒmen qù Shànghǎi.Next week we
won't go to Beijing, we will go to Shanghai.
 很 多 孩子 不 要 很 便宜 的 东西 。Hěn
duō háizi bù yào hěn piányi de
dōngxī.Many children don't want very cheap
things.
不 is used to negate habitual actions
不 (bù) can be used to negate habitual actions, to
express what you just aren't in the habit of doing,
such as eating meat, or watching TV, or drinking
alcohol. This is simply done by placing 不 (bù) in
front of the verb.
Structure

Subject + 不 + Verb + Object

Examples

 我 不 吃 肉 。Wǒ bù chī ròu.I don't eat

meat.
 我 不 看 电视 。Wǒ bù kàn diànshì.I don't
watch TV.
 我 不 喝 酒 。Wǒ bù hē jiǔ.I don't drink
alcohol.
 我 奶奶 不 用 手机 。Wǒ nǎinai bù yòng
shǒujī.My grandma doesn't use a cellphone.
 我 不 看 韩国 电影 。Wǒ bù kàn Hánguó
diànyǐng.I don't watch Korean movies.
 他 不 喜欢 说话 。Tā bù xǐhuan
shuōhuà.He doesn't like to speak.
 在 中国 ， 我们 不 说 英文 。Zài
Zhōngguó, wǒmen bù shuō Yīngwén.In
China, we don't speak english.
  这 个 国家 的 人 不 洗手 吗 ？Zhè ge
guójiā de rén bù xǐshǒu ma?
 Don't the people in this country wash their
hands?
 他 从 来 不 说 别人 的 坏话 。Tā
cónglái bù shuō biérén de huài huà.He
never talks badly of people.
 我 不 用 手机 看书。
 Wǒ bù yòng shǒujī kànshū.I don't use my
phone to read books.

Please note that, while it is grammatically correct

to use 没 (méi) in all the sentences above, 没 (méi)
does not negate any habitual actions. The
sentences above, if they contained 没 (méi)
instead of 不 (bù), would express that the
speaker didn't do the named activity (at one
particular point in the past). So it would not be
about habitual actions.

不 is normally used with adjectives

When it comes to a simple negation of an
adjective (such as "not cold"), use 不 (bù).
Structure

不 + Adj
Examples

 面包 不 好吃 。Miànbāo bù hǎochī.Bread
is not good to eat.
 超市 不 远 。Chāoshì bù yuǎn.The
supermarket is not far away.
 今天 不 冷 。Jīntiān bù lěng.Today it isn't
cold.
 我 不 高兴 。Wǒ bù gāoxìng.I am not
happy.
 她 不 漂亮 。Tā bù piàoliang.She is not
pretty.
 你的 女朋友 不 难看 。Nǐ de
nǚpéngyou bù nánkàn.Your girlfriend is not
ugly.
 我们 不 饿 。Wǒmen bù è.We're not
hungry.
 你 不 胖 。Nǐ bù pàng.You are not fat.
 我 觉得 Starbucks 的 咖啡 不 贵 。Wǒ
juéde Starbucks de kāfēi bù guì.I think the
coffee at Starbucks isn't expensive.
 北京 的 夏天 不 长。Běijīng de
xiàtiān bù cháng.The summer in Beijing is not
long.

不 is used to ask questions

There are couple ways to use 不 (bù) to ask
questions. One such way is through affirmative-
negative questions. This is done by stating a verb
and then immediately repeating that verb in a
negative state (with 不 (bù)):
Structure

Subject + Verb + 不 + Verb + Object

Examples

 你 是 不 是 我的 老师 ？Nǐ shì bù shì wǒ

de lǎoshī?Are you my teacher or not?
 今天 你 来 不 来 ？Jīntiān nǐ lái bù lái?Are
you coming today? (Literally: Today you come-
not come?)
 你 喜 不 喜欢 吃 中国菜?Nǐ xǐ bù xǐhuan
chī Zhōngguó cài?Do you like to Chinese
food? (Literally: Do you like-not like Chinese
food?)
 你 在 这里 ， 想 不 想 妈妈 ？Nǐ zài
zhèlǐ, xiǎng bù xiǎng māma?You are here,
do you miss your mom or not?
 我们 去 不 去 北京 ？Wǒmen qù bù
qù Běijīng?Are we going to Beijing or not?
 你 喝 不 喝 茶 ？Nǐ hē bù hē chá?Do you
drink tea or not?
 你 爱 不 爱 我 ？Nǐ ài bù ài wǒ?Do you
love me or not?
  吃 不 吃 冰淇淋 ？Chī bù chī bīngqílín?
Do you eat ice cream or not?
 你 今天 上 不 上 课 ？Nǐ jīntiān shàng bù
shàng kè?Did you go to class today or not?
 你 买 不 买 ？Nǐ mǎi bù mǎi?Are you
buying or not?

不 (bù) can also be used to form tag questions.

Tag questions use the positive-negative question
form, but are placed at the end of the sentence.
Tag questions are used to seek approval or
acceptance for a statement, very similar to the
English "OK?" or "right?" You can't use 没 (mèi) for
this.

 我们 去 吃饭，好 不 好 ？Wǒmen qù
chīfàn, hǎo bù hǎo?Let's go eat, is that OK?
 你 是 我的 同学，对 不 对 ？Nǐ shì wǒ
de tóngxué, duì bù duì?You are my
classmate, right?
 我们 喝 水，好 没 好。Wǒmen hē
shuǐ, hǎo méi hǎo.Let's drink water, OK does
not have OK?
 你 得 上 课，对 没 对。Nǐ děi
shàngkè, duì méi duì.You should go to class,
right not have right?

没 is used to negate past actions

没 (méi) and 没有 (méiyǒu) can both be used
to negate actions that occurred in the past, or to
say that something has not happened yet.
Structure

Subject + 没(有) + Verb + Object

Examples

 他 没有 打 电话 给 我。Tā méiyǒu dǎ
diànhuà gěi wǒ.He did not give me a call.
 他 没 去 上课。Tā méi qù shàngkè.He did
not go to class.
 我 昨天 没 喝 酒。Wǒ zuótiān méi hē jiǔ.I
did not drink wine yesterday.
 妈妈 没有 做 晚饭。Māma méiyǒu zuò
wǎnfàn.Mom did not cook dinner.
 老师 没 给 我 作业 。Lǎoshī méi gěi wǒ
zuòyè.The teacher didn't give me any
homework.
 我 昨天 不 喝 酒 。Wǒ zuótiān bù hē jiǔ.I
not drink wine yesterday.
 你 昨晚 不 回 家 吗？Nǐ zuówǎn bù huíjiā
ma?Did you not come home last night?
 我 上个 周末 不 跟 他 见面。Wǒ
shànggè zhōumò bù gēn tā jiànmiàn .I
didn't see him last weekend .
  上周 我们 不 开会。Shàngzhōu
wǒmen bù kāihuì .We didn't have a meeting
last week.
 上个月 你 不 去 北京 吗？Shànggèyuè
nǐ bù qù Běijīng ?Did you not go to Beijing
last month?

There are a few things worth noting in these

examples. For one, it is still grammatically correct
to leave out the 有 (méiyǒu) in the sentences using
没有 (méiyǒu). Also, the sentence using 不
(bù) would begrammatically correct, if not for the
昨天 (zuótiān) ("yesterday") telling us that it is
definitely the past we're talking about. That
incorrect sentence using 不 (bù) would translate
into: "I don't drink wine yesterday" as opposed to
"I didn't drink wine yesterday."

Only 没 is used to negate 有

没 (méi) can be used to negate the verb 有
(yǒu) ("to have") to mean "do not have." You can
only use 没 (méi) to convey this meaning. It is
grammatically incorrect to use 不 (bù) to negate 有
(yǒu).
Structure

Subject + 没有 + Object
Examples

 我 没有 钱。Wǒ méiyǒu qián.I don't have

money.
 我 不 有 钱。Wǒ bù yǒu qián.I not have
money.
 他 没有 女朋友。Tā méiyǒu nǚpéngyou
.He doesn't have a girlfriend.
 他 不 有 女朋友。Tā bù
yǒu nǚpéngyou.He not have girlfriend.
 我 妈妈 没有 iPhone。Wǒ
māma méiyǒu iphone.My mom doesn't have
an iPhone.
 我 妈妈 不 有 iPhone。Wǒ māma bù
yǒu iPhone.My mom doesn't have an iPhone.
 他 爸爸 没有 工作。Tā
bàba méiyǒu gōngzuò.His dad doesn't have a
job.
 他 爸爸 不 有 工作。Tā bàba bù
yǒu gōngzuò.His dad doesn't have a job.
 他们 没有 孩子。Tāmen méiyǒu háizi
.They don't have children.
 他们 不 有 孩子。Tāmen bù
yǒu háizi.They don't have children .
There are times when you can leave out 有 (yǒu)
entirely while still expressing 没有 (méiyǒu)
(meaning "to not have" or "there is no"). One well-
known example of this is 没办法 (méi
bànfǎ) ("there is no way" [that's gonna happen]).
Both 没 (méi) and 没有 (méiyǒu) are correct,
however.

 我 没 办法 。Wǒ méi bànfǎ.I don't have a

way.
 我 没有 办法 。Wǒ méiyǒu bànfǎ.I don't
have a way.

(You can also use 没办法 (méi bànfǎ) to express

other meanings.)

没 is used to make comparisons

没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) can be used to
make simple comparisons meaning "not as...
as...":
Structure

Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adjective

Examples

 我 的 钱 没有 他 的 钱 多。Wǒ de
qián méiyǒu tā de qián duō.My money isn't
 as much as his. (Literally: "My money does not
have his money many.")
 你 的 钱 不 有 他 的 钱 多。Nǐ de
qián bù yǒu tā de qián duō.My money not
have much as his.
 你 没有 我 漂亮。Nǐ méiyǒu wǒ
piàoliang.You are not as beautiful as me.
(Literally: You do not have my beautiful.)
 你 不 有 我 漂亮。Nǐ bù yǒu wǒ
piàoliang .You not have me beautiful.
 他 家 没有 你 家 远 。Tā jiā méiyǒu nǐ jiā
yuǎn.His place is not as far away as yours.
(Literally: His place does not have yours far.)
 他家 不 有 你家 远。Tā jiā bù yǒu nǐ jiā
yuǎn.His place is not as far away as yours .
 你 妹妹 没有 你 聪明。Nǐ
mèimei méiyǒu nǐ cōngming.Your younger
sister is not as smart as you. (Literally: Your
younger sister doesn't have you smart.)
 你 妹妹 不 有 你 聪明。Nǐ mèimei bù
yǒu nǐ cōngming .Your younger sister is not
as smart as you .
 上海 的 冬天 没有 北京 的 冬天 冷。
Shànghǎi de dōngtiān méiyǒu Běijīng de
dōngtiān lěng .Winter in Shanghai is not as
cold as in Beijing. (Literally: Winter in
Shanghai doesn't have winter in Beijing cold.)
  上海 的 冬天 不 有 北京 的 冬天 冷。
Shànghǎi de dōngtiān bù yǒu Běijīng de
dōngtiān lěng .Winter in Shanghai is not as
cold as winter in Beijing.

You can only use 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) for this

purpose, and not 不 (bù).

不 is used almost exclusively with

some verbs
Certain verbs just don't get negated by 没 (méi) or
没有 (méiyǒu) ever. These include the verbs 是
(shì) ("to be") and 在 (zài) ("to be (in a place)"), as
well as some psychological verbs such as 知道
(zhīdào) ("to know") and 认识 (rènshi) ("to know (a
person)"). For these verbs, it's best to just take
them on a case-by-case basis. Being aware of
their existence can save you a fair bit of confusion.

 他 以前 不 是 我的 朋友 。Tā
yǐqián bù shì wǒ de péngyou.He was not my
friend before.
 他 以前 没 是 我的 朋友 。Tā
yǐqián méi shì wǒ de péngyou.He did not is
my friend before.
 我 昨天 不 知道 他 要 来。Wǒ
zuótiān bù zhīdào tā yào lái.Yesterday I
didn't know he was coming .
  我 昨天 没 知道 他 要来。Wǒ
zuótiān méi zhīdào tā yào lái.I did not have
know he was coming yesterday.
 他 以前 不 认识 她 。Tā yǐqián bù rènshi
tā.He did not know her before.
 他 以前 没 认识 她 。Tā
yǐqián méi rènshi tā.He not have know her
before.
 昨天 我 不 在 家 。Zuótiān wǒ bù zài jiā.I
was not home yesterday.
 昨天 我 没 在 家 。 (Use of 没 with 在 is
technically incorrect, but you sometimes hear
it.)Zuótiān wǒ méi zài jiā.I did not at home
yesterday.

Note that in non-standard Mandarin you might

encounter exceptions to this rule. It's still useful to
know the rule!