How to Say ‘Cannot’ in Simplified Chinese
不能
bù néng
[boo nung]
💬 Usage Tip: [不能] goes before the verb to say someone cannot do something: [不能吃], [不能喝], [不能去]. It's a handy pattern for dietary restrictions because you can just add the food after the verb.
Phrase Breakdown
不能
bù néng
[boo nung]
cannot; not able to
Means 'cannot' or 'must not.' It can express inability, restriction, or something not allowed.
这位客人不能吃海鲜。
This guest cannot eat seafood.
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