不得 (bù dé) — must not; may not (used in formal rules, regulations, or written prohibitions)
Definition
不得 (bù dé) is a formal, written prohibition used in rules and regulations, typically translated as 'must not'. It is far more formal than 不要 or 不许, which belong to spoken language.
verb
must notmay not (used in formal rules, regulations, or written prohibitions)
Examples
- 不得。Cān guān bó wù guǎn shí bù dé dà shēng shuō huà.You must not speak loudly when visiting the museum.
- ，不得。Gēn jù gōng sī guī dìng, yuán gōng bù dé chí dào.According to company policy, employees may not be late.
- 不得。Kǎo shì shí bù dé kàn qí tā tóng xué de dá àn.During the exam, you must not look at other students' answers.
Appears in
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