Word: 不 (bù)

八月的石榴，合不上

bāyuè de shíliu, hé bú shàng

a pomegranate in the eighth month: it can't close

公不离婆，秤不离砣

gōng bù lí pó, chèngbùlítuó

the husband doesn't leave the wife, the steelyard doesn't leave its weight

公司在网上征人，要求不高。

Gōngsī zài wǎngshàng zhēng rén, yāoqiú bù gāo.

The company is recruiting online, and the requirements aren't high.

公立学校的学费不太高。

Gōnglìxuéxiào de xuéfèi bú tài gāo.

Tuition at public schools isn't very high.

六月里戴毡帽，不看气候

liùyuè li dài zhānmào, bú kàn qìhòu

wearing a felt hat in June: not watching the climate

关于计划他什么也不知道。

Guānyú jìhuà tā shénme yě bù zhīdào.

He doesn't know anything about the plan.

关公卖豆腐，人硬货不硬

Guāngōng mài dòufu, rén yìnghuò bú yìng

Guan Gong selling tofu: the man is tough, the goods are not

关键不在穿什么，而是怎么穿。

Guānjiàn bú zài chuān shénme, érshì zěnme chuān.

It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it.

兵在精而不在多，将在谋而不在勇

bīngzàijīng'érbúzàiduō, jiàng zài móu ér bú zài yǒng

soldiers should be elite not numerous; generals should have strategy not just courage

兵无将而不动，蛇无头而不行

bīng wú jiāng ér bú dòng, shéwútóu'érbùxíng

troops without a general don't move; a snake without a head can't crawl

兵贵奇不贵众

bīng guì qí bú guì zhòng

in war prize the unexpected, not numbers

兵马俑的每个脸都不一样。

Bīngmǎyǒng de měige liǎn dōu bù yíyàng.

No two faces in the Terracotta Army are the same.

其他人不可以被打扰。

Qítā rén bù kěyǐ bèi dǎrǎo.

The others can't be bothered.

其他人不那么乐观。

Qítā rén bú nàme lèguān.

Others are less optimistic.

其实，我不知道。

Qíshí, wǒ bù zhīdào.

Actually, I don't know.

养不教,父之过

yǎng bú jiào,fù zhī guò

to feed without teaching is the father's fault

养儿不读书,只当喂个猪

yǎngr bù dúshū,zhǐdāng wèi gè zhū

raise a son who doesn't study, and it's just like feeding a pig

再不走就迟到了。

Zài bù zǒu jiù chídàole.

If we don't go soon, we'll be late.

写意画不求像，重在表达心情。

Xiěyìhuà bù qiú xiàng, zhòng zài biǎodá xīnqíng.

Freehand brush painting doesn't aim at realism but at expressing a mood.

冬天暖气热不热？

Dōngtiān nuǎnqì rè bú rè?

Does the heating work in the winter?

冬天的大葱，叶黄根枯心不死

dōngtiān de dàcōng, Yè huáng gēn kūxīn bù sǐ

a winter spring onion: leaves yellow and roots dry, but the heart isn't dead

冬天穿这么单薄，不冷吗？

Dōngtiān chuān zhème dānbó, bù lěng ma?

You're dressed so thinly in winter. Aren't you cold?

冰天雪地的，车开不了。

Bīngtiānxuědì de, chē kāi bù liǎo.

With ice and snow everywhere, the car can't be driven.

减肥不可能马上见效，要有耐心。

Jiǎnféi bù kěnéng mǎshàng jiànxiào, yào yǒu nàixīn.

Weight loss can't show results right away, so be patient.

凡人不开口,神仙难动手

fánrén bù kāikǒu,shénxiān nán dòngshǒu

if a mortal doesn't open his mouth, even an immortal can't act

凤凰不入乌鸦巢

fènghuáng bú rù wūyā cháo

a phoenix does not enter a crow's nest

出笼的小鸟儿,放得出收不回

chūlóng de xiǎo niǎor,fàng déchū shōu bù huí

a little bird out of its cage: can be let out but not taken back

出笼的鸟儿收不回

chūlóng de niǎor shōu bù huí

a bird out of its cage can't be taken back

刘备借荆州，只借不还

liúbèi jiè Jīngzhōu, zhǐ jiè bù huán

Liu Bei borrows Jingzhou: borrows but never returns

刚毕业的学生还不懂世故。

Gāng bìyè de xuésheng hái bù dǒng shìgù.

Students who have just graduated don't yet know the ways of the world.

刚进职场，我什么都不懂。

Gāng jìn zhíchǎng, wǒ shénme dōu bù dǒng.

I'd just entered the workplace and knew nothing.

利息不高，但本金很安全。

Lìxī bù gāo, dàn běnjīn hěn ānquán.

The interest isn't high, but the principal is very safe.

别假装你不认识我！

Bié jiǎzhuāng nǐ bú rènshi wǒ!

Don't pretend that you don't know me!

别叫我的外号，我不喜欢。

Bié jiào wǒ de wàihào, wǒ bù xǐhuan.

Don't call me by my nickname. I don't like it.

别异想天开了，这不可能！

Bié yìxiǎngtiānkāi le, zhè bù kěnéng!

Stop dreaming up wild ideas, this is impossible!

别担心，她不懂德语。

Bié dānxīn, tā bù dǒng Déyǔ.

Don't worry. She doesn't understand German.

别狐假虎威，吓唬不了我。

Bié hújiǎhǔwēi, xiàhu bù liǎo wǒ.

Stop borrowing someone else's power; you can't scare me.

别糟蹋粮食，吃不完就打包。

Bié zāotà liángshi, chī bù wán jiù dǎbāo.

Don't waste food. If you can't finish it, take it home.

别让他人干你自己不喜欢的事。

Bié ràng tā rén gàn nǐ zìjǐ bù xǐhuan de shì.

Don't let others do what you yourself don't like.

别跟我说你不知道。

Bié gēn wǒ shuō nǐ bù zhīdào.

Don't tell me you didn't know.

刮大风吃炒面，张不开嘴

guā dàfēng chī chǎomiàn, zhāng bù kāi zuǐ

eating parched flour in a high wind: can't open your mouth

到了下半场，大家都跑不动了。

Dàole xiàbànchǎng, dàjiā dōu pǎo bú dòngle.

By the second half, everyone was too tired to run.

刻薄不赚钱,忠厚不折本

kèbó bú zhuànqián,zhōnghòu bù shéběn

being mean makes no money; being honest and kind loses no capital

剃头师傅用推子，不对路数

tìtóu shīfu yòng tuīzi, bú duì lùshù

A barber using clippers: not the usual way

剩余的时间不多了，快点吧。

Shèngyú de shíjiān bù duō le, kuàidiǎn ba.

There's not much time left, so hurry up.

剪草除根，萌芽不发

jiǎncǎochúgēn, méngyá bù fā

cut grass and remove the roots, and no sprouts grow

北方的立夏还不太热吧？

Běifāng de Lìxià hái bú tài rè ba?

It's not very hot yet in the north at Lixia, is it?

北海道并不总是寒冷。

Běihǎidào bìng bù zǒngshì hánlěng.

It is not always cold in Hokkaido.

医学也解释不了这种怪事。

Yīxué yě jiěshì bù liǎo zhèzhǒng guàishì.

Even medical science can't explain this strange thing.

医生不建议孕妇节食。

Yīshēng bú jiànyì yùnfù jiéshí.

Doctors don't recommend that pregnant women go on a diet.

医生什么也做不了。

Yīshēng shénme yě zuò bù liǎo.

There was nothing that the doctors could do.

医生说我的激素水平不正常。

Yīshēng shuō wǒ de jīsù shuǐpíng bú zhèngcháng.

The doctor said my hormone levels are abnormal.

医院不准许家人晚上留在病房里。

Yīyuàn bù zhǔnxǔ jiārén wǎnshang liú zài bìngfáng lǐ.

The hospital doesn't permit family members to stay in the ward overnight.

医院要保证不间断供电。

Yīyuàn yào bǎozhèng bú jiànduàn gōngdiàn.

A hospital must have an uninterrupted power supply.

十个指头不一般齐

shí gè zhǐtou bù yìbān qí

ten fingers are not all the same length

十八岁的姑娘当媒人，人不说你，你还说人

shíbā suì de gūniang dāng méiren, rén bù shuō nǐ, nǐ hái shuō rén

an eighteen-year-old girl acting as matchmaker: nobody has matched you, yet you match others

十句好话顶不上一句丑话

shí jù hǎohuà dǐng bú shàng yíjù chǒuhuà

ten kind words don't outweigh one ugly word

千里搭长棚，没有个不散的筵席

qiānlǐ dā cháng péng, méiyǒu ge bú sàn de yánxí

a thousand-li awning, no feast that doesn't end

午夜了，你怎么还不睡？

Wǔyè le, nǐ zěnme hái bú shuì?

It's midnight, so why aren't you asleep yet?

华南的冬天不太冷。

Huánán de dōngtiān bú tài lěng.

Winters in South China are not very cold.

单纯靠运气是赢不了的。

Dānchún kào yùnqi shì yíng bù liǎo de.

You can't win by relying purely on luck.

单面锣打不响

dān miàn luó dǎ bù xiǎng

a gong with one face can't be sounded

卖了麦子买笼屉，不蒸别的蒸口汽

màile màizi mǎi lóngtì, bù zhēng biéde zhēng kǒu qì

sold the wheat to buy a steamer: not steaming anything else, just steaming a puff of steam

卖布不带尺子，瞎扯

mài bù bú dài chǐzi, xiāchě

selling cloth without a ruler: tearing blindly

卖油的敲锅盖，货不怎么样，牌子不小

mài yóu de qiāo guōgài, huò bùzěnmeyàng, páizi bù xiǎo

the oil seller bangs a pot lid: the goods aren't much, but the sign is big

卖烧饼的不带干粮，吃货

mài shāobing de bú dài gānliáng, chīhuò

a sesame-bun seller without his own food: eats the goods

卖米的不带升，居心不量

mài mǐ de bú dài shēng, jūxīn bú liàng

a rice seller without a measure: his intentions aren't measured

卖艺的吞宝剑，要钱不要命

màiyì de tūn bǎojiàn, yàoqián bú yàomìng

a street performer swallowing a sword: wants money, not life

卡车陷在泥泞里，动不了。

Kǎchē xiàn zài nínìng lǐ, dòng bù liǎo.

The truck is stuck in the mud and can't move.

卢医不自医

lúyī bú zì yī

Doctor Lu does not treat himself

即使她爱我，我也不爱她。

Jíshǐ tā ài wǒ, wǒ yě bú ài tā.

I don't love her, not even if she loves me.

即便你不说，我也明白。

Jíbiàn nǐ bù shuō, wǒ yě míngbai.

Even if you don't say it, I understand.

厨房不干净。

Chúfáng bù gānjìng.

The kitchen is not clean.

厨房里的猫,记吃不记打

chúfáng lǐ de māo,jì chī bú jì dǎ

a cat in the kitchen: remembers eating, not being beaten

参加的人并不多。

Cānjiā de rén bìng bù duō.

There were not many present.

双手是活宝，一世用不了

shuāngshǒu shì huóbǎo, yíshì yòng bù liǎo

two hands are a living treasure, a lifetime can't use them up

双拳不敌四手

shuāng quán bù dí sì shǒu

two fists are no match for four hands

反贴门神,不对脸

fǎn tiē ménshén,bú duì liǎn

door gods pasted on backwards: they don't face each other

发了霉的炒黄豆,不香了

fāle méi de chǎo huángdòu,bù xiāng le

mouldy roasted soybeans: no longer fragrant

受不了委屈，成不了大事

shòubùliǎo wěiqu, chéng bù liǎo dàshì

if you can't bear being wronged, you can't achieve great things

受潮的炸药，不响

shòucháo de zhàyào, bù xiǎng

damp explosive: doesn't go bang

变化太小，察觉不出来。

Biànhuà tài xiǎo, chájué bù chūlái.

The change is too small to be observed.

口袋倒西瓜,不藏不掖

kǒudài dào xīguā,bù cáng bù yē

pouring watermelons out of a sack: nothing hidden or tucked away

口袋里抓兔子,跑不掉

kǒudài lǐ zhuā tùzi,pǎo bú diào

catching a rabbit inside a sack: it can't run away

只怕不做，不怕不会

zhǐpà bú zuò, búpà búhuì

fear only not doing it, not failing to know how

只看书不实践，那只是纸上谈兵。

Zhǐ kànshū bù shíjiàn, nà zhǐshì zhǐshàngtánbīng.

Reading books without practicing is just armchair theorizing.

只要不放弃，就还有生机。

Zhǐyào bú fàngqì, jiù háiyǒu shēngjī.

As long as you don't give up, there is still hope.

只顾赚钱，不可能有可持续发展。

Zhǐgù zhuànqián, bù kěnéng yǒu kěchíxùfāzhǎn.

If you only care about making money, there can be no sustainable development.

叫你去为什么不去？

Jiào nǐ qù wèishénme bú qù?

You were told to go. Why didn't you?

叫唤的猫不抓老鼠

jiàohuan de māo bù zhuā lǎoshǔ

a yowling cat doesn't catch mice

可以这样说，但是太不文明了。

Kěyǐ zhèyàng shuō, dànshì tài bù wénmíng le.

You could say it that way, but it's quite vulgar.

可惜你不知道如何跳舞！

Kěxī nǐ bù zhīdào rúhé tiàowǔ!

What a pity you can't dance!

可惜你昨天不在。

Kěxī nǐ zuótiān bú zài.

It's a pity you weren't here yesterday.

可是我完全不觉得怪啊。

Kěshì wǒ wánquán bù juéde guài a.

But I don't think it's strange at all.

台风的走势还不太清楚。

Táifēng de zǒushì hái bú tài qīngchu.

The typhoon's path is still not very clear.

吃不穷，穿不穷，打算不到就受穷

chī bù qióng, chuān bù qióng, dǎsuàn búdào jiù shòuqióng

eating won't make you poor, wearing won't make you poor; without planning you'll end up poor

吃了不疼糟踏疼

chīle bù téng zāotà téng

food eaten doesn't hurt, food wasted does

吃了哑巴药，开不了口

chīle yǎba yào, kāi bù liǎo kǒu

Took mute medicine: unable to open the mouth

吃人的狮子不露齿

chī rén de shīzi bú lùchǐ

a man-eating lion doesn't bare its teeth

吃捞面不打卤，白条儿

chī lāo miàn bù dǎ lǔ, báitiáo ér

Eating noodles without gravy: plain strips