没有

• Pinyin: méi yǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 没 = 氵 (water) + 殳 (strike) — to sink, to disappear; 有 = hand over meat — to have, to possess

Meaning

To not have; have not; there is no. Used to negate possession and to indicate something has not happened.

The primary negation word for 有 (to have) and for completed actions. 没有钱 (don't have money) negates possession. 没有去 (didn't go) negates a past action. In spoken Chinese, 没有 is often shortened to 没. Also used in comparisons: 他没有我高 (He is not as tall as me). Never use 不 to negate 有 — always use 没.

Examples

1. 我没有时间。 I don't have time.
2. 他今天没有来上课。 He didn't come to class today.
3. 冰箱里没有牛奶了。 There is no milk left in the fridge.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, general

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我没有看过这部电影。(I haven't seen this movie.)
• 桌子上没有书。(There are no books on the table.)

Don't Say

• 说'我不有钱'来表示没有钱。(Don't say 我不有钱 — always use 没有 to negate 有; say 我没有钱)

Origin & History

没 originally meant to sink or submerge (氵 water + 殳 strike), later extended to mean to disappear or not exist. Combined with 有 (to have) to form the standard negation of possession.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal