NOT  不不

BE CONTRARY to what is SAID in the WORDS that FOLLOW.
NEGATION
Antonym
  • ALREADYNOW AND NOT ONLY LATER IN-RELATION-TO. 
    • ALSOADDING SOMETHING to what has ALREADY been SAID OR been REFERRED TO. 
      • COPULARELATION between a CATEGORY AND THINGS of that CATEGORY.
        Hypernym
        • CONTRARYINTENSELY DIFFERENT so as to INTERFERE.
          • DIFFERENTRELATION of NOT MUTUALLY RESEMBLING.
            • RELATIONFEATURE of TWO OR MORE THINGS TOGETHER.
              • FEATUREABSTRACT OBJECT a THING is SAID to BE OR to HAVE....
        Hyponym
        Old Chinese Criteria
        1. The general all-purpose pre-verbal negation is 不 which generally has the whole predicate it precedes as its scope. 不 can be inchoative "not get to begin", continuative "not continuously", discontinuative "stop doing" or resultative "not get to complete doing". By the rhetorical device of litotes 不 can create antonymic opposites as in 不少 “quite a lot".

        2. Fēi 非 negates categorising subsumptive judgments when it precedes predicative nominals; when preceding verbs 非 "it is not as if" negates not the verbal verbal proposition but metalinguistically the making of a statement that can usefully be paraphrased as "the claim is not that".

        3. Wú 無 "in no way; in no way i.e. regarding no object", when used as a straight negation (contrast SHOULD NOT) is descriptively generalising and not straightforwardly narrative or descriptive.

        4. Fú 弗 "would not; could not" prototypically refers to a refusal or inability to do something which in principle one might intend to do.

        5. Wèi 未 "not yet; not quite" refers to either temporal or logical incompleteness in verbal predication.

        6. Fǒu 否 "It is not the case" is a negative pro-form, and there remains a suspicion that the graph 不 is to be read as fǒu 否 when it is used as a pro-form.

        7. Mò 莫 "none" is protoypically resumptive of an explicit or implicit subject.

        8. Wú 毋 "don't" and wù 勿 don't the object" when not used injunctively, are negations restricted to the position after such causative verbs as 使.

        Modern Chinese Criteria
        不

        非

        匪

        無

        未

        弗

        勿

        莫

        別

        休

        毋

        免

        沒有

        不曾

        未曾

        rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／

        LU JIANMING

        Old Chinese Contrasts
        [[REMEMBER to discuss for Modern Chinese: 冷丁 VERSUS 冷不丁 "SUDDENLY" 好不容易 ETC]]

        BROWN 2005 NEGATION

        • Novyj objasnitel'nyj Slovar' Sinonimov Russkogo Jazyka ( APRESJAN 2004) p. 115

        • Vocabulaire européen des philosophies. Dictionnaire des intraduisibles ( CASSIN 2004) p. 1364

        • Historisches Woerterbuch der Philosophie ( RITTER 1971-2007) p. 6.667

          NEGATION

        • The Encyclopedia of Philosophy ( BORCHERT 2005) p.

          NEGATION

        • Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Second Edition ( BROWN 2005) p.

        • Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Second Edition ( BROWN 2005) p.

        • Quiddities. An Intermittently Philosophical Dictionary ( QUINE 1987) p. 142

        • 古漢語常用詞同義詞詞典 ( HONG CHENGYU 2009) p. 568/571

        Words

        不  bù OC: pɯʔ MC: pi̯ut 613 Attributions

          Word relations
        • Epithet: 休/REST Xiū 休 (ant. láo 勞 "work hard") refers to brief break in a working process.
        • Epithet: 輟/STOP Chuò 輟 (ant.* láo 勞 "put in a continued honest effort") is temporary discontinuation of human action.
        • Epithet: 辜/CRIME Gū 辜 (ant. xún 勛 "significant contribution") is an archaising word referring to serious crimes at an early stage, but later commonly used (mostly in negated form) to refer to any crime.
        • Epithet: 顧/ATTENTION Gù 顧 is inchoative and refers to the turning of one's attention to something one has not focussed on before.
        • Synon: 弗/NOT

          Syntactic words
        • padVoppositelitotes: e.g. 不仁"be cruel and violent": do or be the opposite of V"
        • padVt.postadVablein verbal complement constructions (e.g. 道不得 'not be able to say', 行不得 'not be able to practice', 看不見 'not be able to see')
        • vi(0)it is not so
        • vi(0)questionor is this not so? probably to be read fǒu 否
        • vt(+V(0))not do the contextually determinate V-ing
        • vt+V[0]not
        • vt+V[0]do not naturally VCH
        • vt{NEG}+S不然而已 "not only so, not only did they do that": not (negating not only a verb but a clause)LZ
        • vt{NEG}+V.adN"un-"??un-VERB-ed, un-VERBing. 不教民
        • vt{NEG}+V{NUM}less than (不十年 "within the period of less than ten years"）
        非  fēi OC: pɯl MC: pɨi 185 Attributions

          Word relations
        • Ant: 即/COPULA
        • Epithet: 常/COMMON Cháng 常 (ant. guài 怪 "extraordinary") refers to what is regularly met and not unexpected.
        • Epithet: 徒/ONLY
        • Epithet: 獨/ONLY
        • Assoc: 禮/RITUAL The current general term for everything relating to the system of ritual propriety is lǐ 禮. However the term can also be used to refer to individual prescribed rituals.
        • Assoc: 法/LAW The current general word for a law, a legal system or any legal provision of any kind is fǎ 法.

          Syntactic words
        • vadV.postN{SUBJ}emphatic contrastiveit is not as if N V-s; N by no means/in no way V-sCH
        • vadVP非以V “not for them thus to V": not be so as thus to VCH
        • vt(0)+N.post-Vgrammaticalisedor is that not the case? n'est-ce pas?CH
        • vt(oN)copulait is not (without explicit object) NB: perhaps this should be taken as vt-neg. But we want to separate out these examples for attention.)
        • vt+Nnot be identical with NCH
        • vt+Nnot be a matter/case of Nab; not be a case of NabCH
        • vt+N1[.adN2]those who are not N1 非賢 "non-worthies"CH
        • vt+Nappropriateis not the proper way of N
        • vt+Ncopulanot because of NP
        • vt+Npart ofnot be an integral part ofCH
        • vt+npro.adN非己之民 "a people other than one's own"
        • vt+N{PRED}copulais not N
        • vt+N{SUBJ}.+V{PRED}it is/was not the SUBJECT N that PREDICATED V
        • vt+V[0]politely dismissing a possibility as unthinkable: would of course neverCH
        • vt+V[0]negativeby no means; absolutely not; the fact is that not (contrary to appearances)
        • vt0+S1.+S2It wasn't that S1, but S2
        • vt0+Sbecauseit is not that S (but...); it is not because of S; it is not as if S (but...)
        • vtoNabis not a case of Nab-ing, is not part of NabCH
        • vtoNpartitivenot be part ofCH
        • vtoV[0]contrastive with what followsit is not as if ... butCH
        未  wèi OC: mɯds MC: mɨi 94 Attributions

          Word relations
        • Epithet: 嘗 / 常/PAST Cháng 嘗 places an action or experience in the past, typically in so far as this past is experienced or witnessed by someone, remarkably often by the speaker himself.
        • Assoc: 始/BEGIN The general word for something occurring for the crucial and influential first time or initiating anything, in particular any development, is shǐ 始 (ant. zhōng 終"bring to an end; come to an end" and chéng 成 "bring to a successful end, complete").

          Syntactic words
        • p[adV]does not [V] (exocentric verbal construction, compare "I did not" which is also exocentric)
        • padScompletenessit was not quite the case that S
        • padVlogicalnot quite; not really
        • padVlogicalbe not quite right, be not quite sufficient to express the truth; not yet
        • padVnecessitynot necessarilyCH
        • padVtime: so farnot yet (at that time)
        • vinever come (as of a day)
        • vi(0)Not yet.
        • vpostVor not?
        • vt(+V[0])not yet do something
        • vtoNfail to do as yet
        弗  fú OC: pɯd MC: pi̯ut 63 Attributions

          Syntactic words
        • pad.vt+V[0]弗能 "be quite incapable of": not at allCH
        • pad.vt+V[0]{PASS}弗可V也已弗可赦也已。“can absolutely not be pardoned"：emphatically notCH
        • vt{NEG}+.Vt(oN)intensitive, Vt=passiveindeed not
        • vt{NEG}+.Vt(oN)unable, with understood objectcould not, cannot; fail to; be unable to
        • vt{NEG}+.Vt[0]oNwith explicit object弗利其家"will fail to benefit your family": fail to, be unable to Vt the object N
        • vt{NEG}+:Vt1[0]+.Vt2[0](+N)弗能攻"was unable to cure it":not (Vt to V)
        • vt{NEG}+V[0] 弗華"fail to be ornate": fail to V, prove unable to V; be unable to V
        • vt{NEG}+V[0](oN)object understoodtake care not toCH
        無  wú OC: ma MC: mi̯o 62 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • padPexpected answer: no!not ? (modifying an adverbial particle)
        • vadV1.postV2so that not
        • vadVfutureadverbial negation concerning the future: will not
        • vadVnegativenone of the objects
        • vadVnegativein no case; in no way; at no point, in no respect; not at all
        • vi(0).postSquestion[is this not so?>] functions almost like question particle (compare French n'est-ce pas or German "oder nicht?")
        • vt[0]+V[0].postVnegation after pivotal or, occasionally, modal verbs
        非以  fēi yǐ MC: pj+j yiX OC: pɯl k-lɯʔCH 62 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPtoScausethis is not becauseCH
        • VPtoV(0)purposenot be in order toV(0)CH
        不復  bù fù OC: pɯʔ buɡs MC: pi̯ut bɨu 38 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVV no more, V no longer Ricci: 1. Ne… plus.
        非徒  fēi tú OC: pɯl daa MC: pɨi duo̝ 27 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPtoV1.adV2not only
        否  fǒu OC: pɯʔ MC: pɨu 21 Attributions

          Word relations
        • Ant: 然/TRUE The most current word for propositional truth is rán 然 "it is so" (ant. fǒu 否 "be untrue").
        • Oppos: 聖/WISE Shèng 聖 (ant. yōng 庸 "mediocre") refers to supreme sagehood and perfection of character.

          Syntactic words
        • vi(0)pro-verb"No!" negation used as independent utterance. [Note that in this case it is unclear whether the implicit element should be taken as lexically or pragmatically retrievable.]
        • vi[0]adSif [this immediately preceding sentence] is not the case, then S [Note that in this case it is unclear whether the implicit element should be taken as lexically or pragmatically retrievable.]
        • vi[0]post | Sor not [Note that in this case it is unclear whether the implicit element should be taken as lexically or pragmatically retrievable.]
        • vt(0)[+V[0]]not perform the contextually determinate action V
        無所  wú suǒ OC: ma sqraʔ MC: mi̯o ʂi̯ɤ 18 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • PPadVin no fashion; at no level; not in any way; in no way
        • VPadVhave no place to VLZ
        • VPadVV=passivebe in no way V-edCH
        不其  bù qí OC: pɯʔ ɡɯ MC: pi̯ut gɨ 16 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • PPadVOBI 5: might NOT (KT); may in fact not (DK) probably not
        • PPadVOBIOBI 4: stative negative applying to Vs referring to prospects of future events (KT)
        • PPadV乎 interrogativewould it not V?CH
        毋  wú OC: ma MC: mi̯o 13 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • vt{NEG}+.Vt(oN)not
        • vt{NEG}+.VtoN:adSnot
        • vt{NEG}+.VtoN:adSirrealisif... had not
        • vt{NEG}+Vinot
        • vt{NEG}+Vt{PASS}not
        • vt{NEG}.+VtoNfail to, not; not to
        莫  mò OC: maaɡ MC: mɑk 9 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • npro.adVnot, be unable; in no way; in no case
        • npro.adVrhetorical questionIs not this..., is it not that... (with a negator or another question particle in sentence final position) 莫...無; 莫...也無; 莫...不; 莫...麼; 莫...否
        未必  wèi bì MC: mj+jH pjit OC: mɯds piɡDS 7 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVnot necessarilyDS
        匪  fěi OC: pɯlʔ MC: pɨi 5 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • padSit is not that SLZ
        • padVnot
        勿  wù OC: mɯd MC: mi̯ut 4 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • padVinsist on not (doing something in the future)
        • vt+.Vt[0]oNnot (verb the explicit object) NB: there are surprisingly many examples of this
        • vt{NEG}+:Vtt(+N.)+VN=pivotdon't
        將非  jiāng fēi OC: skaŋ pɯl MC: tsi̯ɐŋ pɨi 4 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPadScouldn't it be that S?
        未可  wèi kě OC: mɯds khlaalʔ MC: mɨi khɑ 4 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPt+V[0]{PASS}cannot quite/yet be V-ed; SHIJI idiomatic: could not possibly be (VERBED)
        • VPt[0]+V[0]it is not possible to V at allLZ
        總不  zǒng bù OC: skooŋʔ pɯʔ MC: tsuŋ pi̯ut 4 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVintensitivedo not V at all
        無以  wú yǐ MC: mju yiX OC: ma k-lɯʔCH 4 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVin no wayCH
        靡  mǐ OC: mralʔ MC: miɛ 3 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • npro.adN: V{PRED}no NCH
        • npro{SUBJ}+V{PRED}subjectno one
        • padVarchaic/poetic: not; in no way
        不可  bù kě OC: pɯʔ khlaalʔ MC: pi̯ut khɑ 3 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPt+V[0]emphaticemphatic: certainly not, in no way, not by any means
        • vt+VtVt=passiveshould not be Vt-edCH
        不是  bù shì OC: pɯʔ ɡljeʔ MC: pi̯ut dʑiɛ 2 Attributions
          Syntactic words
        • VPtoNcopulais not
        • VPtoSemphaticis not that S
        亡  wáng OC: maŋ MC: mi̯ɐŋ 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • vt{NEG}(+V)I do not (V); not to V; no!
        • vt{NEG}+Vi[0]not
        蔑  miè OC: meed MC: met 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • vt{NEG}+V[0]will under no circumstances
        不少  bù shǎo OC: pɯʔ hmljewʔ MC: pi̯ut ɕiɛu 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVnot in the least; not the least bit
        俱不  jū bù OC: ko pɯʔ MC: ki̯o pi̯ut 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • PPadVunder no circumstances, in no way
        未有  wèi yǒu OC: mɯds ɢʷɯʔ MC: mɨi ɦɨu 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVnot for the time being; not yet
        非是  fēi shì OC: pɯl ɡljeʔ MC: pɨi dʑiɛ 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • VPt+Ncopulanot be (for modern 不是)
        • VPtoSit is not a case of S
        竟不  jìng bù OC: kraŋs pɯʔ MC: kɣaŋ pi̯ut 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • PPadVin no way
        微  wēi OC: mɯl MC: mɨi 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • vt+SIt is not that S
        未始  wèi shǐ MC: mj+jH syiX OC: mɯds lʰɯʔCH 1 Attribution
          Syntactic words
        • VPadVnot necessarily; not definitely; not beyond all doubtCH

        Existing SW for

        Here are Syntactic Words already defined in the database: