<ul>
<li>没(有) means not have</li>
<li>不 means not</li>
</ul>

<p>The confusion arises because 错 has multiple meanings:</p>

<p><ul>
<li>As a <em>noun</em>, it can mean an <strong>error</strong>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>没(有)错 means have no error. Or idiomatically, not wrong.</li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
<li>As an <i>adjective</i>, it can mean <b>bad</b>.<br><br>
<blockquote>不错 means not bad. This adjective is always used with 不 in front.</blockquote></li>
</ul></p>
</blockquote>

<p>(有) is usually omitted in conversation.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-02T06:30:04.767Z
Isn't the usual use a verb? 我错了，你没错，etc. Also, it _is_ an adj in 不错, but it has some very curious restrictions (how often do you see 很错?) that make it a little different than 不 + normal ADJ.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-02T07:00:49.750Z
@StumpyJoePete, no, 错 as a verb means some other things e.g. [to separate 〈动 9〉](http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/zdice9zdic94zdic99.htm). `我错了，你没错` is actually a shortened representation of `我(知道)错了，你没(做)错`. Both 《在线新华字典》 and 《汉典》list 错 as a noun to mean an error, not a verb. I don't think 很错 is a proper phrase for very bad, that is why I wrote that this adjective (listed as one in both dictionaries) is always used in conjunction with 不.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-02T21:38:49.457Z
Interesting. To clarify, you're saying that in my examples, `错` is considered a shortened form of `做错`? In that case, `错` _is_ acting as a verb, although not the way I had imagined (Note that in both `我错了` and `你没错`, `错` is the predicate).
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-03T03:09:11.623Z
What I am trying to say is that in Chinese, word omissions are common when the meaning is obvious. `错` appears to act as a verb because the verbs `知道` and `做` are omitted from the sentence. Chinese is not just a pro-drop language. In fact, [whole predicate can be dropped](http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95#.E4.B8.8D.E5.AE.8C.E5.85.A8.E4.B8.BB.E8.AC.82.E5.8F.A5), not just the pronoun.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-03T03:30:51.047Z
I'm still not getting it. In `我(知道)错了`, it looks like that's the same as `我知道我错了` to me. In order for `错` to be a N, it would have to mean "I know (an) error", not "I know that I erred (i.e., made a mistake)"; In the other scenario: `你没(做)错`, I see it as an ADJ acting as a complement (结果补语) to the V (i.e., `做错`，`写错` are like `听懂` or `打砸`). Notice that you can add an object, so it doesn't make sense for it to be a N: `我写错作业`.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-03T10:20:58.460Z
@StumpyJoePete, on second thought, I think you are right about its usage as an adjective when there is a noun after it. E.g. `我搭错巴士` = I wrongly (adj) took a bus. In your earlier examples, there are no nouns after `错`, I still think `错` is a noun in `做错`, as in, made a mistake. We can agree to disagree. Anyway, thanks for the meaningful engagement :)
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-29T03:20:51.770Z
2013-04-29T03:20:51.770Z
杨以轩
<p>没有 has some sense of past tense, similar to &quot;haven't&quot; or &quot;didn't&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;我没有吸烟&quot; translates similarly to &quot;I did not smoke&quot;.</p>
<p>&quot;我没有吃饭&quot; translates similarly to &quot;I have not eaten yet&quot;.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>不 is rather neutral, and has some sense of present tense</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;我不吸烟&quot; translates to &quot;I don't smoke&quot;, it is stating a habit or a preference</p>
<p>&quot;我不吃饭&quot; translates similarly to &quot;I don't eat&quot;, or &quot;I won't eat&quot;, which is slightly strange</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-26T20:09:05.800Z
2013-05-26T20:09:05.800Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
mezhang
<p>I just wanted to complement the other answers.</p>

<p>不错 has two meanings, depending on the contexts:</p>

<p>1) it means "quite good", where it is actually a single word, and you CAN NOT treat it as 不 negating 错.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Example: 你字写得不错啊。Your handwriting is pretty good.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>2) it means "not wrong", where it is a compounded word, and you CAN think it of 不 negating 错.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Example: </p>
  
  <p>A: 原来你是西毒欧阳锋. You are OuYang Feng, the West Poisoner!</p>
  
  <p>B: 兄弟所言不错，在下正是欧阳锋。Yes, What you brother said is not wrong (or is right). I am OuYang Feng. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>But for the 2nd meaning, I can only think of the usage in 所言不错, so this usage is very rare.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-02T18:51:55.117Z
2013-05-02T22:38:54.483Z
2013-05-02T22:38:54.483Z
孤影萍踪
<p>Simply, 不错 means "quite good" in Chinese. It's a single word, not 错 with negating 不.</p>

<p>More examples:</p>

<ul>
<li>那个女孩长得不错. That girl is so beautiful.</li>
<li>这道菜不错. This dish is quite delicious.</li>
</ul>

<p>Moreover, 错 is a noun, and nouns should not appear after 不. Some verbs (usually actions like 看/听/去/吃) could appear after both 不 or 没有, but they usually have different meanings or tenses, for example:</p>

<ul>
<li>我没有回家. I didn't go home.</li>
<li>我不回家. I won't go home.</li>
<li>他没有看那场比赛. He didn't watch that game.</li>
<li>他不看那场比赛. He wouldn't watch that game.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-02T05:07:05.370Z
2013-05-02T05:21:12.097Z
2013-05-02T05:21:12.097Z
neuront
<p>This particular example is completely idiomatic. 不错 is an adjective meaning 'not bad', the negation of 错 as verb 'to wrong; to mistake' is '没有错'.</p>
<p>Generally 没有 is used in past tense or perfect tense to falsify a statement of fact; 不 is used in present or future tense to express (un)willingness.</p>
<p>没有：</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你吃饭了么？Have you eaten?</p>
<p>我没有吃。I haven't.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>不：</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你吃饭么？Are you going to eat something?</p>
<p>我不吃。No I am not.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another example to compare the two as answers to the same question:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Q: 他说了么？Did he tell you?</p>
<p>A1: 他没有说。He didn't.</p>
<p>A2: 他不说。He wouldn't tell me.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-28T23:28:18.520Z
I wouldn't say _completely_ idiomatic. 错 is usually a verb meaning "to make an error" (so naturally you negate past with 没有), but it's acting as an adjective in 不错 (so naturally uses 不). The idiomatic thing is that 错 has limited use as an adjective. You can say 这是错的 or 很不错, but it's rare to see 很错.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-29T00:20:32.580Z
@StumpyJoePete You're right. I didn't expand on 'part of speech' differences. If you look at it as a whole, it is still 'completely idiomatic' because there isn't another similar word to apply the exact same rule.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-28T22:17:58.573Z
2013-04-29T04:54:59.937Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
NS.X.
<p>I'm trying to understand when 没有 should be used instead of 不 when negating a sentence.</p>

<p>Consider the example "I'm not wrong."</p>

<p>Why is it 没有错?</p>

<p>How can I know when to use 没有 when negating a sentence? </p>

<p>谢谢</p>

<negation>
Why do you say 我没有错 instead of 我不错 to say "I'm not wrong"? When should I use 没有?
# Why do you say 我没有错 instead of 我不错 to say "I'm not wrong"? When should I use 没有?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-28)

I'm trying to understand when 没有 should be used instead of 不 when negating a sentence.

Consider the example "I'm not wrong."

Why is it 没有错?

How can I know when to use 没有 when negating a sentence?

谢谢

**Tags:** negation


---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2013-04-28. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

This particular example is completely idiomatic. 不错 is an adjective meaning 'not bad', the negation of 错 as verb 'to wrong; to mistake' is '没有错'.

Generally 没有 is used in past tense or perfect tense to falsify a statement of fact; 不 is used in present or future tense to express (un)willingness.

没有：

> 你吃饭了么？Have you eaten?
>
> 我没有吃。I haven't.

不：

> 你吃饭么？Are you going to eat something?
>
> 我不吃。No I am not.

Another example to compare the two as answers to the same question:

> Q: 他说了么？Did he tell you?
>
> A1: 他没有说。He didn't.
>
> A2: 他不说。He wouldn't tell me.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I wouldn't say _completely_ idiomatic. 错 is usually a verb meaning "to make an error" (so naturally you negate past with 没有), but it's acting as an adjective in 不错 (so naturally uses 不). The idiomatic thing is that 错 has limited use as an adjective. You can say 这是错的 or 很不错, but it's rare to see 很错.  
> **username_6**: @username_2 You're right. I didn't expand on 'part of speech' differences. If you look at it as a whole, it is still 'completely idiomatic' because there isn't another similar word to apply the exact same rule.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-04-29. Score: 4

* 没(有) means not have
* 不 means not

The confusion arises because 错 has multiple meanings:

* As a *noun*, it can mean an **error**.
  > 没(有)错 means have no error. Or idiomatically, not wrong.

* As an *adjective*, it can mean **bad**.  
    
  > 不错 means not bad. This adjective is always used with 不 in front.

(有) is usually omitted in conversation.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Isn't the usual use a verb? 我错了，你没错，etc. Also, it _is_ an adj in 不错, but it has some very curious restrictions (how often do you see 很错?) that make it a little different than 不 + normal ADJ.  
> **username_1**: @username_2, no, 错 as a verb means some other things e.g. [to separate 〈动 9〉](http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/zdice9zdic94zdic99.htm). `我错了，你没错` is actually a shortened representation of `我(知道)错了，你没(做)错`. Both 《在线新华字典》 and 《汉典》list 错 as a noun to mean an error, not a verb. I don't think 很错 is a proper phrase for very bad, that is why I wrote that this adjective (listed as one in both dictionaries) is always used in conjunction with 不.  
> **username_2**: Interesting. To clarify, you're saying that in my examples, `错` is considered a shortened form of `做错`? In that case, `错` _is_ acting as a verb, although not the way I had imagined (Note that in both `我错了` and `你没错`, `错` is the predicate).  
> **username_1**: What I am trying to say is that in Chinese, word omissions are common when the meaning is obvious. `错` appears to act as a verb because the verbs `知道` and `做` are omitted from the sentence. Chinese is not just a pro-drop language. In fact, [whole predicate can be dropped](http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95#.E4.B8.8D.E5.AE.8C.E5.85.A8.E4.B8.BB.E8.AC.82.E5.8F.A5), not just the pronoun.  
> **username_2**: I'm still not getting it. In `我(知道)错了`, it looks like that's the same as `我知道我错了` to me. In order for `错` to be a N, it would have to mean "I know (an) error", not "I know that I erred (i.e., made a mistake)"; In the other scenario: `你没(做)错`, I see it as an ADJ acting as a complement (结果补语) to the V (i.e., `做错`，`写错` are like `听懂` or `打砸`). Notice that you can add an object, so it doesn't make sense for it to be a N: `我写错作业`.  
> **username_1**: @username_2, on second thought, I think you are right about its usage as an adjective when there is a noun after it. E.g. `我搭错巴士` = I wrongly (adj) took a bus. In your earlier examples, there are no nouns after `错`, I still think `错` is a noun in `做错`, as in, made a mistake. We can agree to disagree. Anyway, thanks for the meaningful engagement :)  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-05-26. Score: 1

没有 has some sense of past tense, similar to "haven't" or "didn't"

> "我没有吸烟" translates similarly to "I did not smoke".
>
> "我没有吃饭" translates similarly to "I have not eaten yet".

不 is rather neutral, and has some sense of present tense

> "我不吸烟" translates to "I don't smoke", it is stating a habit or a preference
>
> "我不吃饭" translates similarly to "I don't eat", or "I won't eat", which is slightly strange


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-05-02. Score: 0

I just wanted to complement the other answers.

不错 has two meanings, depending on the contexts:

1) it means "quite good", where it is actually a single word, and you CAN NOT treat it as 不 negating 错.

> Example: 你字写得不错啊。Your handwriting is pretty good.

2) it means "not wrong", where it is a compounded word, and you CAN think it of 不 negating 错.

> Example:
>
> A: 原来你是西毒欧阳锋. You are OuYang Feng, the West Poisoner!
>
> B: 兄弟所言不错，在下正是欧阳锋。Yes, What you brother said is not wrong (or is right). I am OuYang Feng.

But for the 2nd meaning, I can only think of the usage in 所言不错, so this usage is very rare.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2013-05-02. Score: 0

Simply, 不错 means "quite good" in Chinese. It's a single word, not 错 with negating 不.

More examples:

* 那个女孩长得不错. That girl is so beautiful.
* 这道菜不错. This dish is quite delicious.

Moreover, 错 is a noun, and nouns should not appear after 不. Some verbs (usually actions like 看/听/去/吃) could appear after both 不 or 没有, but they usually have different meanings or tenses, for example:

* 我没有回家. I didn't go home.
* 我不回家. I won't go home.
* 他没有看那场比赛. He didn't watch that game.
* 他不看那场比赛. He wouldn't watch that game.


---

