别/別 bié — don’t (negative command)

Meanings

1. 1

   don’t (negative command)

   The negative imperative, placed before the verb: 别走, 别说话. It tells someone not to do something, which plain 不 cannot do — 不 only denies a fact.

   adverb
2. 2

   other, another (in 别的)

   adjective

Example sentences

• 请别说话。/請別說話。Qǐng (third tone, dipping) bié (second tone, rising) shuōhuà. (first tone, high and level)···

  Please don’t talk.

• 别走，我有事情告诉你。/別走，我有事情告訴你。Bié (second tone, rising) zǒu, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shìqing (fourth tone, falling) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) nǐ. (third tone, dipping)···

  Don’t go — I’ve got something to tell you.

Common mistakes

• Not quite不说话！

  Correct别说话！

  不 states that something is not the case; it cannot forbid. To tell someone to stop or not to start, Chinese uses 别 (or 不要).

Similar words