非 (fēi) — (verb, formal/literary) to not be; to be not; (adverb in the pattern 非...不/才/不可) absolutely must; simply must; (prefix) non-; un-; in-; used to form negative adjectives or nouns
Definition
非 is a formal/literary negator and prefix — far more written than 不, which is everyday speech. In the pattern 非…不/不可 it means 'absolutely must', stronger than 坚持 or insisting.
verb
(verb, formal/literary) to not beto be not(adverb in the pattern 非...不/才/不可) absolutely mustsimply must
prefix
non-un-in-used to form negative adjectives or nouns
Easily confused
Examples
- ，。Zhè shì fēi zhèng shì huì yì, bú yòng chuān zhèng zhuāng.This is an informal meeting; you don't need to wear formal attire.
- ，非。Yào jiǎn féi, jiù fēi yùn dòng bù kě.If you want to lose weight, you absolutely must exercise.
- 非，。Tā fēi yào zì jǐ kāi chē, wǒ men dōu hěn dān xīn.He insists on driving himself, and we are all worried.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.
Grammar
Appears in
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