尚未

• Pinyin: shàng wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 尚 = 小 + 口 (still/yet); 未 = 木 + 一 (not yet, 8th earthly branch)

Meaning

Not yet; still not. Indicates that something has not happened up to the present moment.

A formal written expression equivalent to 还没有. Widely used in official documents, news reports, academic papers, and legal texts. More precise and formal than 还没.

Examples

1. 该项目尚未获得相关部门的审批。 The project has not yet received approval from the relevant departments.
2. 调查结果尚未对外公布。 The investigation results have not yet been made public.
3. 双方谈判尚未达成最终协议。 The negotiations between the two sides have not yet reached a final agreement.

Usage Guide

Context: official documents, news, academia

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 目前，确切原因尚未查明。(At present, the exact cause has not yet been determined.)
• 合同细节尚未最终确定，双方仍在协商中。(The contract details have not yet been finalised; both parties are still in negotiations.)

Don't Say

• 在口语中用尚未 — say 还没有 in spoken conversation; 尚未 sounds stiff in casual speech

Origin & History

尚 (still/yet) + 未 (not yet) — classical compound meaning 'not yet'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal