Word: 不能 (bùnéng)

上课不能交头接耳。

Shàngkè bùnéng jiāotóujiē'ěr.

You must not talk to each other in class.

下雨了，我们不能打球了。

Xiàyǔle, wǒmen bùnéng dǎqiúle.

It's raining, so we can't play ball anymore.

不能一揽子否定大家的努力。

Bùnéng yìlǎnzi fǒudìng dàjiā de nǔlì.

You can't write off everyone's efforts across the board.

不能任意修改别人的文件。

Bùnéng rènyì xiūgǎi biéren de wénjiàn.

You can't arbitrarily change other people's files.

不能侮辱别人的人格。

Bùnéng wǔrǔ biéren de réngé.

You must not insult other people's dignity.

不能去乱碰的！

Bùnéng qù luàn pèng de!

You can't touch it!

不能只凭相貌判断一个人。

Bùnéng zhǐ píng xiàngmào pànduàn yí gè rén.

You can't judge a person by looks alone.

不能只用钱来衡量一份工作。

Bùnéng zhǐ yòngqian lái héngliáng yífèn gōngzuò.

You can't weigh a job by money alone.

不能只看单一的原因。

Bùnéng zhǐ kàn dānyī de yuányīn.

You can't look at just a single cause.

不能在这儿睡觉，去里面睡。

Bùnéng zài zhèr shuìjiào, qù lǐmiàn shuì.

Don't sleep here. Go sleep inside.

不能忘记自己的初衷。

Bùnéng wàngjì zìjǐ de chūzhōng.

You shouldn't forget your original intentions.

不能把牙膏塞回管里。

Bùnéng bǎ yágāo sāi huí guǎn lǐ.

You can't put toothpaste back in the tube.

不能放纵这种作弊行为。

Bùnéng fàngzòng zhèzhǒng zuòbì xíngwéi.

We can't turn a blind eye to this kind of cheating.

不能根据服装来判断一个人。

Bùnéng gēnjù fúzhuāng lái pànduàn yí gè rén.

You can't judge a person based on clothing.

不能正己，焉能正人

bùnéng zhèng jǐ, yān néng zhèng rén

if you can't set yourself straight, how can you set others straight

不能用手指人。

Bùnéng yòng shǒuzhǐ rén.

Don't point at others.

不能相信她说的话。

Bùnéng xiāngxìn tā shuō de huà.

What she said can't be believed.

不能践踏别人的尊严。

Bùnéng jiàntà biéren de zūnyán.

You must not trample on other people's dignity.

不能靠打骂来惩治孩子。

Bùnéng kào dǎmà lái chéngzhì háizi.

You can't punish children by hitting and scolding them.

不除病邪，不能治本；不经风雨，不能强身

bù chú bìngxié, bùnéng zhìběn; bù jīng fēngyǔ, bùnéng qiángshēn

without removing the disease, you can't cure the root; without going through wind and rain, you can't strengthen the body

两雄不能并立

liǎng xióng bùnéng bìnglì

two heroes cannot stand side by side

严厉的法律能不能威慑犯罪？

Yánlì de fǎlǜ néng bùnéng wēishè fànzuì?

Can strict laws deter crime?

为什么他今天不能打网球呢？

Wèishénme tā jīntiān bùnéng dǎ wǎngqiú ne?

Why can't he play tennis today?

为什么我们现在不能讲？

Wèishénme wǒmen xiànzài bùnéng jiǎng?

Why can't we talk now?

书不能读太多。

Shū bùnéng dú tài duō.

We cannot read too many books.

买了琵琶没上弦，不能弹

mǎile pípa méi shàng xián, bùnéng dàn

bought a pipa but didn't string it: can't play it

买房子不能只看外观。

Mǎi fángzi bùnéng zhǐ kàn wàiguān.

When buying a house, you can't just go by its appearance.

事实确凿，他不能否认。

Shìshí quèzáo, tā bùnéng fǒurèn.

The facts are undeniable, and he can't deny them.

事情很急，我们不能再耗下去了。

Shìqing hěn jí, wǒmen bùnéng zài hào xiàqù le.

This is urgent, so we can't keep dragging it out any longer.

人死不能复生

rén sǐ bùnéng fùshēng

a dead person cannot come back to life

今天下雨，我们不能出去玩。

Jīntiān xiàyǔ, wǒmen bùnéng chūqù wán.

It's a rainy day, so we can't play outside.

他不能买车。

Tā bùnéng mǎi chē.

He is unable to buy a car.

他不能处理好复杂情况。

Tā bùnéng chǔlǐ hǎo fùzá qíngkuàng.

He doesn't cope with complicated situations.

他不能帮你。

Tā bùnéng bāng nǐ.

He can't help you.

他不能游泳。

Tā bùnéng yóuyǒng.

He could not swim.

他受伤了，不能参加半决赛。

Tā shòushāngle, bùnéng cānjiā bànjuésài.

He's injured and can't play in the semi-final.

他因车祸伤残，不能再工作了。

Tā yīn chēhuò shāngcán, bùnéng zài gōngzuòle.

He was crippled in a car accident and can no longer work.

他打电话来说不能参加会议。

Tā dǎdiànhuà lái shuō bùnéng cānjiā huìyì.

He called in to say he could not attend the meeting.

他是因为母亲病了而不能来学校。

Tā shì yīnwèi mǔqīn bìng le ér bùnéng lái xuéxiào.

It is because his mother is ill that he cannot come to school.

他涉嫌违反规定，暂时不能上班。

Tā shèxián wéifǎn guīdìng, zànshí bùnéng shàngbān.

He is suspected of breaking the rules and can't work for the time being.

他游到不能游为止。

Tā yóu dào bùnéng yóu wéizhǐ.

He swam until he could swim no more.

他能不能按时到，还是个未知数。

Tā néng bùnéng ànshí dào, háishi gè wèizhīshù.

Whether he can arrive on time is still an uncertainty.

他脚受伤了，不能再继续踢足球。

Tā jiǎo shòushāngle, bùnéng zài jìxù tī zúqiú.

He hurt his foot, he can't play football anymore.

他跟我们说他不能吃花生。

Tā gēn wǒmen shuō tā bùnéng chī huāshēng.

He told us he couldn't eat peanuts.

以前普通人是不能随便进皇宫的。

Yǐqián pǔtōngrén shì bùnéng suíbiàn jìn huánggōng de.

In the past, ordinary people couldn't just walk into the imperial palace.

会议的规格不能低于去年。

Huìyì de guīgé bùnéng dīyú qùnián.

The standard of the meeting can't be lower than last year's.

你不能一个人住。

Nǐ bùnéng yí gè rén zhù.

You can't live alone.

你不能一味地怪别人。

Nǐ bùnéng yíwèi de guài biéren.

You can't just keep blaming others blindly.

你不能住在那座岛上。

Nǐ bùnéng zhù zài nà zuò dǎo shàng.

You can't live on that island.

你不能做些事来帮助我吗？

Nǐ bùnéng zuò xiē shì lái bāngzhù wǒ ma?

Can't you do something to help me?

你不能再住在这边了。

Nǐ bùnéng zài zhù zài zhèbiān le.

You can't live on this side anymore.

你不能到外面去。

Nǐ bùnéng dào wàimiàn qù.

You can't go outside.

你不能和我们一起来真可惜。

Nǐ bùnéng hé wǒmen yì qǐlai zhēn kěxī.

It is a pity that you can't join us.

你不能因为别人穷就看不起别人。

Nǐ bùnéng yīnwèi biéren qióng jiù kànbùqǐ biéren.

You must not despise someone because they are poor.

你不能在这附近停车。

Nǐ bùnéng zài zhè fùjìn tíngchē.

You can't park around here.

你不能应对压力。

Nǐ bùnéng yìngduì yālì.

You couldn't handle the pressure.

你不能待久一点吗？

Nǐ bùnéng dài jiǔ yìdiǎn ma?

Can't you stay a little longer?

你不能待在床上。

Nǐ bùnéng dài zài chuáng shàng.

You must not stay in bed.

你不能打一点折吗？

Nǐ bùnéng dǎ yìdiǎn zhé ma?

Can't you discount it a little?

你不能把你的车停在这里。

Nǐ bùnéng bǎ nǐ de chē tíng zài zhèlǐ.

You can't park your car here.

你不能把这规则应用在所有事上。

Nǐ bùnéng bǎ zhè guīzé yìngyòng zài suǒyǒu shì shàng.

You can't apply this rule to every case.

你不能把酒卖给未成年人。

Nǐ bùnéng bǎjiǔ mài gěi wèichéngniánrén.

You can't sell alcohol to under-age people.

你不能指望他们的帮助。

Nǐ bùnéng zhǐwàng tāmen de bāngzhù.

You can't count on their help.

你不能指望我一直考虑周到！

Nǐ bùnéng zhǐwàng wǒ yìzhí kǎolǜ zhōudào!

You can't expect me to always think of everything!

你不能有秘密。

Nǐ bùnéng yǒu mìmì.

You can't keep a secret.

你不能来真是太糟糕了。

Nǐ bùnéng lái zhēnshi tài zāogāole.

It's too bad that you couldn't come.

你不能欺骗我。

Nǐ bùnéng qīpiàn wǒ.

You cannot pull the wool over my eyes.

你不能炒了我们。

Nǐ bùnéng chǎole wǒmen.

You can't fire us.

你不能用这台洗衣机。

Nǐ bùnéng yòng zhè tái xǐyījī.

You can't use this washing machine.

你不能这么说。

Nǐ bùnéng zhème shuō.

You can't say that.

你不能这样活。

Nǐ bùnéng zhèyàng huó.

You can't live like this.

你不能进来。

Nǐ bùnéng jìnlái.

You may not come in.

你不能进这个房间。

Nǐ bùnéng jìn zhège fángjiān.

You aren't allowed in this room.

你们不能炒了我们。

Nǐmen bùnéng chǎole wǒmen.

You can't fire us.

你们不能解雇我们。

Nǐmen bùnéng jiěgù wǒmen.

You can't fire us.

你们不能这么做。

Nǐmen bùnéng zhème zuò.

You cannot do this.

你做事能不能果断一点？

Nǐ zuòshì néng bùnéng guǒduàn yìdiǎn?

Could you be a bit more decisive when you do things?

你回家时，能不能给我捎点水果？

Nǐ huíjiā shí, néng bùnéng gěi wǒ shāo diǎn shuǐguǒ?

When you go home, could you bring me some fruit?

你固然是错了，但也不能怪你。

Nǐ gùrán shì cuòle, dàn yě bùnéng guài nǐ.

On the one hand, you are wrong, but on the other hand, I can't blame you for that.

你太年轻，不能退休。

Nǐ tài niánqīng, bùnéng tuìxiū.

You're too young to retire.

你太年轻了，还不能做这个。

Nǐ tài niánqīngle, hái bùnéng zuò zhège.

You're too young to be doing that.

你永远不会太老而不能学习。

Nǐ yǒngyuǎn búhuì tài lǎo ér bùnéng xuéxí.

You will never be too old to learn.

你永远都不能太自我。

Nǐ yǒngyuǎn dōu bùnéng tài zìwǒ.

You can never have too much ego.

你知道她为什么不能来吗？

Nǐ zhīdào tā wèishénme bùnéng lái ma?

Do you know why she couldn't come?

你能不能举个比方来解释一下？

Nǐ néng bùnéng jǔ gè bǐfang lái jiěshì yíxià?

Could you give an illustrative example to explain it?

你能不能修理它？

Nǐ néng bùnéng xiūlǐ tā?

Can you get it repaired?

你能不能再说一遍？

Nǐ néng bùnéng zàishuō yíbiàn?

Could you say that again?

你能不能好好读外语？

Nǐ néng bùnéng hǎohǎo dú wàiyǔ?

Can you please properly study a foreign language?

你能不能把这个号码拉进黑名单？

Nǐ néng bùnéng bǎ zhège hàomǎ lā jìn hēimíngdān?

Could you add this number to the blacklist?

你能不能把这些句子翻译成英文？

Nǐ néng bùnéng bǎ zhèxiē jùzi fānyì chéng Yīngwén?

Can you translate these sentences into English?

你能不能给我打折？

Nǐ néng bùnéng gěi wǒ dǎzhé?

Can you give me a discount?

你酒喝得太醉了不能开车。

Nǐ jiǔ hē de tài zuìle bùnéng kāichē.

You're too drunk to drive.

供一饥，不能供百饱

gōng yì jī, bùnéng gōng bǎi bǎo

you can feed one hunger, but cannot supply a hundred full meals

依规定，这里不能停车。

Yī guīdìng, zhèlǐ bùnéng tíngchē.

According to the rules, you can't park here.

假不能胜真，邪不能胜正

jiǎ bùnéng shèng zhēn, xié bùnéng shèng zhèng

the false cannot beat the true, the wicked cannot beat the upright

假释期间不能离开本市。

Jiǎshì qījiān bùnéng líkāi běnshì.

You can't leave the city while on parole.

做买卖要讲公道，不能骗人。

Zuòmǎimài yào jiǎng gōngdào, bùnéng piànrén.

In business you must be fair and not cheat people.

做事不能三心二意。

Zuòshì bùnéng sānxīn-èryì.

You can't do things half-heartedly.

做事为什么不能当机立断呢？

Zuòshì wèishénme bùnéng dāngjīlìduàn ne?

Why can't you be decisive when you do things?

做人要有骨气，不能收这种钱。

Zuòrén yào yǒu gǔqì, bùnéng shōu zhèzhǒng qián.

A person should have integrity and must not take this kind of money.