() — to not have, to lack

Definition

无 (wú) means 'to not have, to lack' — more formal/written than 没有. Unlike 不, it negates nouns directly (无钱 = no money), not verbs.

verb
to not haveto lack

Examples

  • Jiào shì lǐ wú rén.
    There is no one in the classroom.
  • Tā wú qián mǎi chē.
    He has no money to buy a car.
  • Wǒ duì zhè jiàn shì wú xìng qù.
    I have no interest in this matter.

Origin

Pictograph
六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíng

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Grammar

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