How to Say ‘No’ in Traditional Chinese
不是
bù shì
[bù shì]
💬 Usage Tip: 不是 is literally "is not," so it's most natural for correcting or denying something: "No, it isn't." For many yes/no questions in Chinese, people often answer by repeating the verb negatively the same way.
Phrase Breakdown
不
bù
[bù]
no
Used to express negation or denial.
不是，他不是我的老師。
No, he is not my teacher.
是
shì
[shì]
to be
A verb used to indicate existence or identity.
他不是警察。
He is not a police officer.
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