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从没 (cóng méi) — never (in the past)

Definition

从没 (cóng méi) is a colloquial adverb meaning 'have never' — emphasizes that something has not happened at any point up to now. Pairs with 过 to stress past experience.

adverb
never (in the past)

Examples

  • 从没。
    Wǒ cóng méi qù guò guó wài.
    I have never been abroad.
  • 从没。
    Tā cóng méi duì rèn hé rén fā guò pí qi.
    He has never lost his temper with anyone.
  • 从没。
    Wǒ cóng méi shuō guò zhè yàng de huà.
    I have never said such words.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

从cóngever
没méinot

从 adds “ever” to 没 “not”, giving “never”.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 沒; 没 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠬛
𠬛𠬛沒mò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 沒 pairs 水 (water) with 𠬛 as a sound part; this note is about 沒, not the simplified 没.

Open 没 →

Grammar

Appears in
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