<p>不 is the negative prefix for a verb and adjective, here are some examples:
不对,not right;
不好，not good;
不错，not bad;
你想去购物吗?不去.Do you want to go shopping? No,I don't;</p>

<p>However 没 is focused on existence or ownership, for example:
没有，I don't have it.
从没发生过，This never happens before.
这里没有人, No one is here.
我没钱, I don't have money.</p>

<p>I hope you are clear now!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-17T23:43:02.560Z
2014-04-17T23:43:02.560Z
Harry.Chen
<p>I know 不 is the negative prefix for a verb, such as 不是. However 没 is also a negative prefix, such as 没有, so what is the difference between 不 and 没?  Thanks! </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-25T11:46:57.597Z
I don't think this is a duplicate of [Why is 有 (yǒu) the only verb that requires 没 while other verbs can use 不?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/247/why-is-%e6%9c%89-y%c7%92u-the-only-verb-that-requires-%e6%b2%a1-while-other-verbs-can-use-%e4%b8%8d) which is much more about etymology (and fairly advanced), and doesn't cover adjectives, e.g. 不好.  The best answer on the network seems to be [Tang Ho's](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/30001/8099), so I'll redirect the duplicate there.
Becky 李蓓
<meaning><usage><dictionary>
What is the difference between 不 and 没?
# What is the difference between 不 and 没?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-17)

I know 不 is the negative prefix for a verb, such as 不是. However 没 is also a negative prefix, such as 没有, so what is the difference between 不 and 没? Thanks!

**Tags:** meaning, usage, dictionary

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't think this is a duplicate of [Why is 有 (yǒu) the only verb that requires 没 while other verbs can use 不?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/247/why-is-%e6%9c%89-y%c7%92u-the-only-verb-that-requires-%e6%b2%a1-while-other-verbs-can-use-%e4%b8%8d) which is much more about etymology (and fairly advanced), and doesn't cover adjectives, e.g. 不好.  The best answer on the network seems to be [Tang Ho's](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/30001/8099), so I'll redirect the duplicate there.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-17. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

不 is the negative prefix for a verb and adjective, here are some examples:
不对,not right;
不好，not good;
不错，not bad;
你想去购物吗?不去.Do you want to go shopping? No,I don't;

However 没 is focused on existence or ownership, for example:
没有，I don't have it.
从没发生过，This never happens before.
这里没有人, No one is here.
我没钱, I don't have money.

I hope you are clear now!


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