The Chinese word "没有" (méiyǒu)

 The Chinese word "没有" (méiyǒu) is extremely common and versatile. It primarily means "to not have," "there isn't/aren't," or "did not/haven't done." It's the negative form of "有" (yǒu), which means "to have" or "there is/are."

Here's a breakdown of its uses:

1. To express "not have" (possession)

This is the most direct use. You use "没有" to state that someone or something does not possess something.

Structure: Subject + 没有 + Noun

Examples:

• 我没有钱。(Wǒ méiyǒu qián.)
  • I don't have money.
• 他没有兄弟姐妹。(Tā méiyǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi.)
  • He doesn't have siblings.
• 她没有手机。(Tā méiyǒu shǒujī.)
  • She doesn't have a phone.

2. To express "there isn't/aren't" (existence)

"没有" is used to indicate the non-existence of something in a particular place or situation.

Structure: Place + 没有 + Noun

(Note: The subject can sometimes be omitted if the context is clear, implying "there isn't/aren't.")

Examples:

• 教室里没有学生。(Jiàoshì lǐ méiyǒu xuésheng.)
  • There are no students in the classroom.
• 冰箱里没有牛奶。(Bīngxiāng lǐ méiyǒu niúnǎi.)
  • There is no milk in the fridge.
• 这里没有厕所。(Zhèlǐ méiyǒu cèsuǒ.)
  • There is no restroom here.

3. To negate a past action ("did not" / "haven't done")

This is a crucial use of "没有." When used before a verb, it negates an action that happened or didn't happen in the past. It's often equivalent to "did not" or "haven't done" in English. The particle "了" (le) is not used with "没有" when negating a past action.

Structure: Subject + 没有 + Verb (+ Object)

Examples:

• 我昨天没有去学校。(Wǒ zuótiān méiyǒu qù xuéxiào.)
  • I didn't go to school yesterday.
• 他没有吃饭。(Tā méiyǒu chīfàn.)
  • He didn't eat (yet)/He hasn't eaten.
• 你没有告诉我。(Nǐ méiyǒu gàosù wǒ.)
  • You didn't tell me.
• 我没有看完这本书。(Wǒ méiyǒu kànwán zhè běn shū.)
  • I haven't finished reading this book.

Important Note on Negating Past Actions:

• 没有 (méiyǒu): Negates a completed action or something that occurred in the past. It emphasizes the absence of the action.
  • 我没有吃。(Wǒ méiyǒu chī.) = I didn't eat/haven't eaten.
• 不 (bù): Negates a habitual action, a future action, or a present state/preference.
  • 我不吃。(Wǒ bù chī.) = I don't eat (habitually/now)/I won't eat.

4. In Comparisons ("not as...as")

"没有" can be used in comparative structures to say that something is "not as [adjective] as" something else.

Structure: A + 没有 + B + Adjective

Examples:

• 我没有他高。(Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.)
  • I am not as tall as him.
• 这本书没有那本书有趣。(Zhè běn shū méiyǒu nà běn shū yǒuqù.)
  • This book is not as interesting as that book.
• 他的中文没有我的好。(Tā de Zhōngwén méiyǒu wǒ de hǎo.)
  • His Chinese is not as good as mine.

5. In Questions (rhetorical or seeking confirmation)

"没有" can be used at the end of a question to ask "is there/are there... or not?" or "did you... or not?" (similar to "有没有" or "有没有 + Verb").

Examples:

• 你吃饭没有？(Nǐ chīfàn méiyǒu?)
  • Have you eaten or not? (Same as "你吃饭了吗?")
• 他来了没有？(Tā láile méiyǒu?)
  • Has he come or not? (Same as "他来了吗?")

Summary of "没有" Usage:

• Possession: Don't have (e.g., 我没有钱 - I don't have money).
• Existence: There isn't/aren't (e.g., 教室里没有学生 - There are no students in the classroom).
• Past Action: Did not / Haven't done (e.g., 我没有去 - I didn't go/haven't gone). Crucial: No "了" after the verb when "没有" is used for negation.
• Comparison: Not as...as (e.g., 我没有他高 - I'm not as tall as him).

Mastering "没有" is fundamental to speaking Chinese, as it covers various essential grammatical functions.