不要 (negative command)

• 拼音: bùyào
• 结构: 不要 + Verb (+ Object)
• 汉字拆解: 不 = pictograph of a bird flying upward (negation); 要 = 覀 (west/cover) + 女 (woman)

含义

Use 不要 (bùyào) before a verb to express a stronger or more emphatic negative command meaning 'do not.' It is slightly more formal or forceful than 别, and is often used in written instructions, rules, or when emphasizing a prohibition.

不要 functions similarly to 别 but carries a heavier, more deliberate tone. While 别 is casual and conversational, 不要 can sound more serious or parental. It is frequently seen on signs, in official notices, and in situations where the speaker wants to stress that an action is forbidden. In spoken Chinese, 不要 is sometimes shortened to 别 for convenience. Parents often use 不要 when scolding children, and teachers use it to set classroom rules. The tone of 不要 depends heavily on context — it can range from gentle advice to stern prohibition.

例句

1. 不要在走廊里跑步。
2. 你不要迟到，老师会不高兴。
3. 考试的时候不要看别人的答案。

用法指南

语境: spoken, written, everyday

语气: imperative

正确说法

• 不要随便翻别人的东西。
• 你不要总是熬夜。
• 上课的时候不要玩手机。

错误说法

• 不要你说话。(不要 goes before the verb, not before the subject — the subject should precede 不要) → 你不要说话。
• 不要了吃零食。(了 should not be inserted between 不要 and the verb) → 不要吃零食了。
• 不要是生气。(不要 cannot negate 是 — use 别生气 or 不要生气 without 是) → 不要生气。

起源与历史

不要 is a compound of the negation particle 不 and the verb 要 (to want/will). Literally meaning 'do not want to,' it evolved into a standard prohibitive expression used to forbid or discourage actions.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal