Usage of 无
The character 无 (wú) primarily means "not to have" or "without." It is often used to indicate the absence of something, such as 无烟火 (no open flame) or 无意 (no intention).
Common Collocations
- 无烟火: no open flame, used in safety or environmental contexts.
- 无意: no intention, often used to soften statements or deny deliberate action.
- 无论...都...: a fixed pattern meaning "no matter... still...", used to express unconditional situations.
Notes
无 is a formal or literary form often replacing 没有 in written Chinese. It can also appear in idiomatic expressions and set phrases. Unlike 没有, 无 is rarely used alone in casual speech but is common in formal writing and set phrases. Avoid confusing 无 with 没, which is more common in spoken language for negation of possession or existence.