<p>Generally <strong>不用</strong>. </p>

<p>e.g.你不用担心。 You don't need to worry/Don't worry.</p>

<p>你不用说。 You don't need to say./Needless to say....</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>不需要</strong></p>

<p>e.g.你不需要这么早起床。 You don't need to get up so early.</p>

<p>你不需要药。 You don't need medicine. </p>

<hr>

<p><strong>不必</strong> (which is kind of odd or archaic)</p>

<p>e.g.你不必再谢他了。You don't need to thank him.</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>无须</strong> (which is also very formal)</p>

<p>e.g.无须细说。No need to talk about the details.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-23T18:51:50.710Z
2015-04-23T18:51:50.710Z
imrek
<p>"Don't" means forbidden in Chinese. And normally with <strong>strong emotion</strong>.</p>

<p>Don't = 禁止 (forbid), 不许 (not allowed)</p>

<p>Don't smoke in toilet.</p>

<hr>

<p>"Not need to" is normally with <strong>less emotion</strong>. It could be treated like suggestions or advices.</p>

<p>"Not need to" 
= 何必 (why push yourself to this circumstances)</p>

<p>你何必这么执着
You don't need to push it</p>

<p>= 无须 (something or action is not necessary )</p>

<p>你无须担心考试成绩</p>

<p>You don't need to worry about the exam</p>

<p>= 干嘛 (oral daily use, it actually gives negative suggestion. 
It is NOT a question, just a advice)</p>

<p>你干嘛这么拼</p>

<p>You don't need to fight so hard.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-24T14:49:16.133Z
Thanks.  But I do not mean to give a suggestion or advice.  I just mean to say that some action is not required..I will edit the question.
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-24T17:20:07.443Z
何必 is very formal and mostly used in questions since 何 is a question word (what/how/why/which). 无须 is OK, but again, formal language. The rest of your sentences are not exactly what OP is looking for.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-24T08:25:06.990Z
2015-04-24T08:25:06.990Z
babayetu
<p>You can use 用不着. It is not so strong as the formal words. But people will understand that you really don't need them to do so.</p>

<p>e.g. 你用不着带零食到聚会上来。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-25T04:37:36.267Z
2015-04-25T04:37:36.267Z
FortCpp
<p>In every language I know, the expressions for saying someone does not need to do something are often used to say they had better not do it.  Suppose I want to tell someone in an e-mail, in Chinese, that they do not need to do something and I really just mean they do not need to.  They can if they want.  What is a good way to say that without implying they should not do it? </p>

<p>I am concerned specifically with the difference between "don't need to" and plain "don't".  I might want to say "You don't need to bring snacks to the party" without anyone thinking I mean "Don't bring snacks to the party."</p>

<p>In that case, I do not want to suggest the person <em>not</em> bring snacks.  It is fine if they bring snacks.  I would even like that.  But they are not required to bring snacks.   </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-24T02:12:18.673Z
How do you say, 'but I want to'?
Mou某
<usage>
How to say "you don't need to."
# How to say "you don't need to."

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-04-23)

In every language I know, the expressions for saying someone does not need to do something are often used to say they had better not do it. Suppose I want to tell someone in an e-mail, in Chinese, that they do not need to do something and I really just mean they do not need to. They can if they want. What is a good way to say that without implying they should not do it?

I am concerned specifically with the difference between "don't need to" and plain "don't". I might want to say "You don't need to bring snacks to the party" without anyone thinking I mean "Don't bring snacks to the party."

In that case, I do not want to suggest the person *not* bring snacks. It is fine if they bring snacks. I would even like that. But they are not required to bring snacks.

**Tags:** usage

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How do you say, 'but I want to'?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-04-25. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

You can use 用不着. It is not so strong as the formal words. But people will understand that you really don't need them to do so.

e.g. 你用不着带零食到聚会上来。


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-04-23. Score: 3

Generally **不用**.

e.g.你不用担心。 You don't need to worry/Don't worry.

你不用说。 You don't need to say./Needless to say....

---

**不需要**

e.g.你不需要这么早起床。 You don't need to get up so early.

你不需要药。 You don't need medicine.

---

**不必** (which is kind of odd or archaic)

e.g.你不必再谢他了。You don't need to thank him.

---

**无须** (which is also very formal)

e.g.无须细说。No need to talk about the details.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-24. Score: 2

"Don't" means forbidden in Chinese. And normally with **strong emotion**.

Don't = 禁止 (forbid), 不许 (not allowed)

Don't smoke in toilet.

---

"Not need to" is normally with **less emotion**. It could be treated like suggestions or advices.

"Not need to"
= 何必 (why push yourself to this circumstances)

你何必这么执着
You don't need to push it

= 无须 (something or action is not necessary )

你无须担心考试成绩

You don't need to worry about the exam

= 干嘛 (oral daily use, it actually gives negative suggestion.
It is NOT a question, just a advice)

你干嘛这么拼

You don't need to fight so hard.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks.  But I do not mean to give a suggestion or advice.  I just mean to say that some action is not required..I will edit the question.  
> **username_2**: 何必 is very formal and mostly used in questions since 何 is a question word (what/how/why/which). 无须 is OK, but again, formal language. The rest of your sentences are not exactly what OP is looking for.  

---

