<p>Put it in simple words: 不 means "not" while 别 means "don't do something", it is also good to compare them with another negation word:没有， which literally means lack of the action:having, so in other words it means don't have or doesn't have. Don't forget in Chinese we don't conjugate the verbs.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-16T17:32:12.720Z
2014-04-16T17:32:12.720Z
ChineseHulu.com
<p>不 means "not" and 别 means "do not." One is a simple negation, and the other is a (negative) command.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-04T20:33:01.947Z
To add more background to this answer, it might help if you know that 别 is actually a contraction of 不要.  (Note that this usage is separate from the original usage of 别 meaning "other".)
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-05T06:13:47.360Z
Don't forget, @Claw, you can also add your own answer if you have extra information.
Don Kirkby
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-05T20:13:05.553Z
@DonKirkby: Yep, I'm aware; I just felt that my supplement didn't add significantly more information to merit it's own response and that Tom's response sufficiently answered the question anyway.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-22T09:27:53.437Z
@Claw Where did you learn that? I'm curious.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-23T21:02:11.270Z
@StumpyJoePete: I don't exactly remember where I learned it, but I've seen it variously mentioned by teachers and on the Internet.  Interestingly, in trying to find a more authoritative source, I came upon a paper (http://dspace.xmu.edu.cn/dspace/bitstream/2288/1220/1/%E7%A6%81%E6%AD%A2%E5%89%AF%E8%AF%8D_%E5%88%AB_%E6%9D%A5%E6%BA%90%E5%86%8D%E8%80%83.pdf) that acknowledges the common belief that 别 is a contraction 不要, but instead argues that it is actually a contraction of 不必.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-04T20:17:27.480Z
2012-02-04T20:17:27.480Z
Tom Au
<p>I know that a typical way to negate a verb is to stick 不 in front of it. But I learned some phrases that use 别 instead: 别担心, 别客气 and so on, all of them in short polite fixed phrases. I know that I could change 别 into 不 in those phrases too.</p>

<p>So what's the difference between those words?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-10T01:24:18.850Z
Welcome to the site. An upvote to get you started. – Tom Au Feb 4 at 20:18
Tom Au
<word-choice><negation>
Difference between 别 and 不
# Difference between 别 and 不

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-04)

I know that a typical way to negate a verb is to stick 不 in front of it. But I learned some phrases that use 别 instead: 别担心, 别客气 and so on, all of them in short polite fixed phrases. I know that I could change 别 into 不 in those phrases too.

So what's the difference between those words?

**Tags:** word-choice, negation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to the site. An upvote to get you started. – username_1 Feb 4 at 20:18  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-04. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

不 means "not" and 别 means "do not." One is a simple negation, and the other is a (negative) command.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: To add more background to this answer, it might help if you know that 别 is actually a contraction of 不要.  (Note that this usage is separate from the original usage of 别 meaning "other".)  
> **username_4**: Don't forget, @username_3, you can also add your own answer if you have extra information.  
> **username_3**: @DonKirkby: Yep, I'm aware; I just felt that my supplement didn't add significantly more information to merit it's own response and that Tom's response sufficiently answered the question anyway.  
> **username_5**: @username_3 Where did you learn that? I'm curious.  
> **username_3**: @StumpyJoePete: I don't exactly remember where I learned it, but I've seen it variously mentioned by teachers and on the Internet.  Interestingly, in trying to find a more authoritative source, I came upon a paper (http://dspace.xmu.edu.cn/dspace/bitstream/2288/1220/1/%E7%A6%81%E6%AD%A2%E5%89%AF%E8%AF%8D_%E5%88%AB_%E6%9D%A5%E6%BA%90%E5%86%8D%E8%80%83.pdf) that acknowledges the common belief that 别 is a contraction 不要, but instead argues that it is actually a contraction of 不必.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-16. Score: 2

Put it in simple words: 不 means "not" while 别 means "don't do something", it is also good to compare them with another negation word:没有， which literally means lack of the action:having, so in other words it means don't have or doesn't have. Don't forget in Chinese we don't conjugate the verbs.


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