<p>why not? see bkrs: II cons.
1) 不 A 不 B (where A B are paired synonyms): not A B
不慌不忙 unhurried
2) 不 A 不 B (where A B are antonymous stative verbs): neither A nor B
不大不小 neither (too) big nor (too) small
3) 不 A 不 B (where A B are antonymous verbs): no B without A
不破不立 no constructing without destroying
cf. restrictions for  又 。。。又, see e.g. <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22both_A_and_B%22_with_%22you%22" rel="noreferrer">https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22both_A_and_B%22_with_%22you%22</a> bkrs:又.... 又…  linking antonyms, often translated as neither... nor, 又不好, 又不坏 , 又不哭, 又不笑,
[又]不是牛又不是马  </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-03T08:24:05.563Z
2018-12-03T09:37:11.560Z
2018-12-03T09:37:11.560Z
user6065
<p>No,  not with <strong>any</strong> verb, although you would see lots of  idioms follow that pattern. You need to learn them separately. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-03T14:19:11.507Z
editing suggestion: 2 adjectives, 2 verbs
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-03T08:43:39.557Z
2018-12-03T08:43:39.557Z
dan
<blockquote>
<p>Is 不 A 不 B a grammatical structure like 又 A 又 B?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They are different. Most [不 A 不 B] terms are either idiom or four characters idiomatic phrase that you have to memorize individually.</p>
<p>The A and B in [又 A 又 B] can be a single character word, a compound word or even an entire phrase. e.g. 又高又瘦，又高又瘦削，又想高大又想瘦削</p>
<p>Below are the common [不 A 不 B] terms:</p>
<p>[A complement B ]</p>
<p>不慌不忙: (not panic, not hurry) <strong>stay calm</strong></p>
<p>不聞不問: (not listening, not inquire) <strong>ignore</strong></p>
<p>不知不覺: (not know, not feel) <strong>not notice</strong></p>
<p>不經不覺: (not experience, not feel) <strong>not notice</strong> (of time passing)</p>
<p>不瞅不睬: (not looking, not pay attention) <strong>ignore</strong></p>
<p>不明不白: (not understandable, not clear) <strong>unclear</strong></p>
<p>不倫不類: (not any type or kind) <strong>ridiculous</strong></p>
<p>不慍不火: (not angry, not enrage) <strong>calm; mild</strong></p>
<p>不痛不癢: (not hurt, not itchy) <strong>insignificant attack/ lost</strong></p>
<p>不飲不食: (not eat, not drink) <strong>not eat nor drink</strong></p>
<p>不眠不休: (not sleep, not rest) <strong>tirelessly;  relentlessly, persistently</strong></p>
<p>不忠不孝: <strong>disloyal</strong>, <strong>not filial</strong> (no virtue)</p>
<p>不仁不義: <strong>unkind, unjust</strong> (no honor)</p>
<p>不過不失: (not considered a wrong doing, not considered a mistake) <strong>average/ mediocre</strong></p>
<p>不折不扣: (no discount, no rebate) <strong>truly</strong>; <strong>definitely</strong></p>
<p>不離不棄: (not leaving, not abandon) <strong>never abandon</strong></p>
<p>不盡不實: (not detailed, not true) <strong>not telling the truth</strong></p>
<p>不驕不躁: (not prideful, not irritated) <strong>stay calm and focused</strong></p>
<p>不屈不撓: (not bending, not yielding) <strong>Never give up</strong></p>
<p>不三不四: (not this, not that) <strong>dubious</strong></p>
<p>不依不饒: (not agree with, not forgive) <strong>pestering/ not let things go</strong></p>
<p>不聲不響: (Silent, not make a sound) <strong>silently/ be silent</strong></p>
<p>[A contradict B ]</p>
<p>不卑不亢: (not too humble, not too excited) <strong>proper demeanor</strong></p>
<p>不偏不倚: (not lend away , not lean onto) <strong>right on</strong>/ <strong>Objective</strong> (opinion)</p>
<p>不緩不迭: (not slow, not swift) <strong>steady normal pace</strong></p>
<p>不男不女: (not a man, nor a woman) <strong>sex unknown</strong></p>
<p>不上不下: (not up, not down) <strong>struct in the middle</strong></p>
<p>不大不小: (not big, not small) <strong>the right size</strong></p>
<p>不冷不熱: (not hot not cold) <strong>mild reception</strong>; <strong>right temperature</strong></p>
<p>不高不低; (not high, not low) <strong>middle position</strong> (of rank or level)</p>
<p>不胖不瘦: (not fat, not thin) <strong>average body type</strong></p>
<p>不咸不淡: (not salty not bland) <strong>unremarkable taste/ mediocre</strong></p>
<p>[B until/ unless A]</p>
<p>不死不休: <strong>not stopping until one is dead</strong></p>
<p>不吐不快: <strong>not happy until saying (something)</strong></p>
<p>不時不食: <strong>do not eat unless it is in-season</strong></p>
<p>不見不散: <strong>not leaving until we meet</strong></p>
<p><em>I would update this list when I think up more.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-03T19:23:50.900Z
Great list, thanks for the reference @TangHo
M_B
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-03T12:32:20.943Z
2020-07-21T02:04:50.620Z
2020-07-21T02:04:50.620Z
Tang Ho
<p>I ran across 不知不觉 the other day.  If I use MDBG to look up <code>c:不*不*</code> I see there are many idioms with that format.  Can I use it with any verbs (?) or is it only part of fixed expressions?</p>

<grammar><idioms>
Is 不 A 不 B a grammatical structure like 又 A 又 B?
# Is 不 A 不 B a grammatical structure like 又 A 又 B?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-03)

I ran across 不知不觉 the other day. If I use MDBG to look up `c:不*不*` I see there are many idioms with that format. Can I use it with any verbs (?) or is it only part of fixed expressions?

**Tags:** grammar, idioms


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-12-03. Score: 15 | Accepted answer

> Is 不 A 不 B a grammatical structure like 又 A 又 B?

They are different. Most [不 A 不 B] terms are either idiom or four characters idiomatic phrase that you have to memorize individually.

The A and B in [又 A 又 B] can be a single character word, a compound word or even an entire phrase. e.g. 又高又瘦，又高又瘦削，又想高大又想瘦削

Below are the common [不 A 不 B] terms:

[A complement B ]

不慌不忙: (not panic, not hurry) **stay calm**

不聞不問: (not listening, not inquire) **ignore**

不知不覺: (not know, not feel) **not notice**

不經不覺: (not experience, not feel) **not notice** (of time passing)

不瞅不睬: (not looking, not pay attention) **ignore**

不明不白: (not understandable, not clear) **unclear**

不倫不類: (not any type or kind) **ridiculous**

不慍不火: (not angry, not enrage) **calm; mild**

不痛不癢: (not hurt, not itchy) **insignificant attack/ lost**

不飲不食: (not eat, not drink) **not eat nor drink**

不眠不休: (not sleep, not rest) **tirelessly; relentlessly, persistently**

不忠不孝: **disloyal**, **not filial** (no virtue)

不仁不義: **unkind, unjust** (no honor)

不過不失: (not considered a wrong doing, not considered a mistake) **average/ mediocre**

不折不扣: (no discount, no rebate) **truly**; **definitely**

不離不棄: (not leaving, not abandon) **never abandon**

不盡不實: (not detailed, not true) **not telling the truth**

不驕不躁: (not prideful, not irritated) **stay calm and focused**

不屈不撓: (not bending, not yielding) **Never give up**

不三不四: (not this, not that) **dubious**

不依不饒: (not agree with, not forgive) **pestering/ not let things go**

不聲不響: (Silent, not make a sound) **silently/ be silent**

[A contradict B ]

不卑不亢: (not too humble, not too excited) **proper demeanor**

不偏不倚: (not lend away , not lean onto) **right on**/ **Objective** (opinion)

不緩不迭: (not slow, not swift) **steady normal pace**

不男不女: (not a man, nor a woman) **sex unknown**

不上不下: (not up, not down) **struct in the middle**

不大不小: (not big, not small) **the right size**

不冷不熱: (not hot not cold) **mild reception**; **right temperature**

不高不低; (not high, not low) **middle position** (of rank or level)

不胖不瘦: (not fat, not thin) **average body type**

不咸不淡: (not salty not bland) **unremarkable taste/ mediocre**

[B until/ unless A]

不死不休: **not stopping until one is dead**

不吐不快: **not happy until saying (something)**

不時不食: **do not eat unless it is in-season**

不見不散: **not leaving until we meet**

*I would update this list when I think up more.*

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Great list, thanks for the reference @username_3  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2018-12-03. Score: 6

why not? see bkrs: II cons.
1) 不 A 不 B (where A B are paired synonyms): not A B
不慌不忙 unhurried
2) 不 A 不 B (where A B are antonymous stative verbs): neither A nor B
不大不小 neither (too) big nor (too) small
3) 不 A 不 B (where A B are antonymous verbs): no B without A
不破不立 no constructing without destroying
cf. restrictions for 又 。。。又, see e.g. <https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22both_A_and_B%22_with_%22you%22> bkrs:又.... 又… linking antonyms, often translated as neither... nor, 又不好, 又不坏 , 又不哭, 又不笑,
[又]不是牛又不是马


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-12-03. Score: 2

No, not with **any** verb, although you would see lots of idioms follow that pattern. You need to learn them separately.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: editing suggestion: 2 adjectives, 2 verbs  

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