Meaning
没 is one of the most fundamental negation words in Mandarin. It primarily negates 有 (to have) and indicates the absence or non-existence of something. It also serves as the negation marker for completed actions in the past, essentially meaning 'did not' or 'have not done.'
Usage
没 is used in everyday speech to negate possession (没有钱 = don't have money) and past actions (没去 = didn't go). When negating 有, speakers often use the full form 没有, though 没 alone is also common in casual speech. Unlike 不, which negates habitual actions and future intentions, 没 specifically negates completion or existence.
Examples
- 01我没去过北京。.I have not been to Beijing.
- 02他没钱买车。.He doesn't have money to buy a car.
Common collocations
- 没有not have, did not
- 没关系it doesn't matter
- 没事it's nothing, no problem
- 没想到didn't expect
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 沒 contains the water radical 氵, originally meaning 'to sink' or 'submerge.' The semantic extension to 'not have' or 'non-existence' reflects the idea of something disappearing beneath the surface.