没有

méiyǒu

haven't

HSK 1

Character Breakdown

Usage of 没有

'没有' is a very common negation phrase in Mandarin Chinese, used to express the absence of something or the non-occurrence of an action. It literally combines '' (not have) and '' (have), meaning 'do not have' or 'there is not'.

Common contexts

  1. To negate possession or existence: e.g., '没有' (I don't have money).
  2. To negate past actions or completed events: e.g., '没有' (He did not come).
  3. To indicate non-existence in a location: e.g., '这里没有' (There is no one here).

Collocations and patterns

  • 没有 + noun: negates possession or existence.
  • 没有 + verb: negates past action or experience.
  • 没有 + : often used to indicate something no longer exists or happened.

Notes

  • '没有' is often contrasted with '' (have) and '' (to be) in affirmative sentences.
  • It is different from '' which negates present or future habitual actions; '没有' is mainly for past or existential negation.
  • Avoid confusing '没有' with '' alone; '' can be used colloquially but '没有' is more formal and complete.

Understanding '没有' is essential for expressing negation in everyday conversation and writing.

Example Sentences

我没有时间去看电影。

Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān qù kàn diànyǐng.

I don't have time to go watch a movie.

他没有完成作业。

Tā méiyǒu wánchéng zuòyè.

He did not finish the homework.

这里没有人。

Zhèlǐ méiyǒu rén.

There is no one here.