勿

• Pinyin: wù
• Hanzi breakdown: 勿 = a standalone character depicting crossed strokes — historically associated with negation and prohibition in Classical Chinese

Meaning

Do not; must not. A formal or written adverb prohibiting an action.

Equivalent to 不要 in formal registers. Widely used in written notices, official instructions, legal texts, and classical idioms. Rarely used in everyday spoken Chinese.

Examples

1. 请勿在图书馆内大声喧哗，以免影响他人阅读。 Please do not speak loudly in the library so as not to disturb others who are reading.
2. 合同明确规定，双方在协议期内勿以任何形式泄露对方的商业机密。 The contract clearly states that during the term of the agreement, neither party may disclose the other party’s trade secrets in any form.
3. 病房走廊张贴着请勿吸烟的警示标牌，提醒所有来访者严格遵守规定。 Warning signs saying “No Smoking” are posted in the hospital corridors, reminding all visitors to strictly follow the rules.

Usage Guide

Context: public notices, official documents, legal texts, signage, classical idioms

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 该政府公告明确指出，任何单位和个人在施工期间勿擅自进入封闭区域，违者将依法追究相关法律责任，情节严重者可移交司法机关处理。(The government notice clearly states that no unit or individual may enter the closed area without authorisation during the construction period — violators will be held legally accountable, and those with serious offences may be referred to judicial authorities.)
• 协议签署前，各方代表勿向媒体或第三方透露谈判内容，以免影响进程。(Before the agreement is signed, representatives must not reveal the negotiation details to the media or any third party, so the process is not affected.)

Don't Say

• 勿 in casual spoken conversation — use 不要 or 别; 勿 is a formal written adverb and sounds unnaturally stiff in everyday speech

Origin & History

勿 is an ancient Chinese character serving as a negative imperative adverb; its use dates to Classical Chinese and remains standard in formal prohibitions

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal