() — (literary) do not (prohibitive adverb, equivalent to 不要 in formal contexts)

Definition

Literary / written prohibition — a more formal, classical-sounding equivalent of 不要 ("do not"), used in set phrases and mottoes, not in everyday speech.

adverb
(literary) do not (prohibitive adverb, equivalent to 不要 in formal contexts)

Examples

  • mò Wèn qián lù rú hé, zhǐ guǎn nǔ lì xiàng qián.
    Don't ask what the road ahead is like; just keep working hard and moving forward.
  • mò Pà shī bài, shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ.
    Don't fear failure; failure is the mother of success.
  • mò Shī wàng, yí qiè dōu huì hǎo qǐ lái de.
    Don't be disappointed; everything will get better.

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