没 (méi) - not have & there is not

没Tone 2

méi ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 氵

伦妙

没 · méi

not have;

there is not;

to not exist;

also pronounced mò meaning to sink, to disappear, to die

not havethere is notto not exist

Usage highlights

don't havenot yetdisappearsinksubmergedie

Synonyms

  • 无— not have; without
  • 不— not

Antonyms

  • 有— have; exist
  • 存— exist; preserve

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I don't have money (没钱).
  • There is no water (没水).
  • He hasn't come yet (他还没来).
  • The ship sank in the ocean (船沉没在海洋中).

Collocations

  • don't have(没有)
  • not yet(还没)
  • disappear(消失没)
  • sink(沉没)
  • submerge(淹没)
  • die(殁没)

Idioms

  • To vanish without a trace(没齿不忘)
  • To sink and disappear(湮没无闻)
  • To be completely submerged(淹没无闻)
  • To die without descendants(没后无子)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as a common negation word in modern Chinese, equivalent to 'not' or 'don't have'
  • In classical Chinese, primarily meant 'to sink', 'to disappear', or 'to die'
  • The character combines water radical (氵) with 殳 (weapon), suggesting something sinking in water

FAQ