03) Chinese Grammar│Difference of「不 bù、沒 méi」

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Introduce：Difference of「不 bù、沒 méi」
「不 bù、沒[没] méi」are both negative adverbs, but they are used by different way
I list them out in details step by step below.

Audio of example sentences and words

「沒 méi」：non-happen for verb/ action
「沒 méi / 沒有 méi yǒu」+verb/ action
e.g. I didn't go；我沒去；wǒ méi qù
e.g. I didn't speak；我沒有說話[说话]；wǒ méi yǒu shuō huà

「沒 méi」：non-own for objects,too.

「沒 méi / 沒有 méi yǒu」+noun
e.g. I have no pen；我沒筆[笔]；wǒ méi bǐ
e.g. I have no sister；我沒有妹妹；wǒ méi yǒu mèi mei

「不 bù」：negation of verb/ state /adjective
「不 bù」+verb
e.g. I don't learn.
       我不學[学]。
       wǒ bù xué。

「不 bù」+state 
e.g. Chinese is not difficult.
       中文不難[难]。
       zhōng wén bù nán。

e.g. Chinese is not difficult to learn.
       中文不難學。
       zhōng wén bù nán xué。

More usages with「不 bù」

don't want to ...；不想 bù xiǎng
e.g. I do not want to go
       我不想去
       wǒ bùxiǎng qù

don't want to ...；不要 bú yào
＊ It rejects more strongly than「不想 bù xiǎng」.

e.g. I do not want to go

       我不要去。
       wǒ bú yào qù

don't know how to do...；不會 bú huì
e.g. I do not know how to swim.

       我不會[会]游泳。

       wǒ bú huì yóuyǒng

will not do...；不會 bú huì
＊ 「會 huì」can be omitted.
e.g. I will not go.
       我不會去。
       wǒ bú huì qù

cannot...；不能 bù néng
e.g. I can not go.
       我不能去。
       wǒ bù néng qù

impossible to...；不能 bù néng
＊ It's same as 「不可能 bù kě néng」
e.g. It's impossible for me to go.
       我不能去。
       wǒ bù néng qù

is not...；不是 bú shì

e.g. I'm not a student

       我不是學生。
       wǒ bú shì xué shēng

e.g. I'm not very pretty

       我不是很漂亮。

       wǒ bú shì hěn piào liang

analysis for advanced usages

Difference between「還[还]沒 hái méi、還不 hái bù」
「還沒 hái méi」denotes "Has not started the action yet "

e.g. I haven't done it yet

       我還沒做。

       wǒ hái méi zuò

「還不 hái bù」denotes  "Don't do this action now"

e.g. I don't eat now.

       我還不吃。

       wǒ hái bù chī

Below examples of「還不 hái bù」are different. 

It should tear down as「還 hái 、不 bù+Verb」. 

People use this way to describe the facts to complain and push someone to do something.

Therefore, the meaning is similar with 「還沒 hái méi」, but the ways to use are totally different.

e.g. You still didn't go to take! 

       (Real meaning：Go to Take!)

       你還不去拿！

       nǐ hái bú qù ná!

e.g. You still didn't do it!.

        (Real meaning：Do it !)

       你還不做！

       nǐ hái bú zuò!

Difference between「還沒想 hái méi xiǎng、 還不想  hái bù xiǎng」

「還沒想 hái méi xiǎng」means "not yet think".
    It should tear down as「還沒 hái méi、想 xiǎng」.

「還不想  hái bù xiǎng」means "still don't want".

    It should tear down as「還 hái 、不想 bù xiǎng」.

Difference between「沒能 méi néng、不能 bù néng」

「不能 bù néng」denotes "cannot" ,it may have tried or may not have tried. It also means that it is impossible, unable or unwilling.

     I cannot go to Taiwan.
     我不能去台灣[湾]。
     wǒ bù néng qù tái wān。

「沒能 méi néng」denotes "have tried it but failed"
     I failed to go yo Taiwan.
     我沒能去台灣。
     wǒ méi néng qù tái wān。

Advanced phrase
non-existent things；沒有的事 méi yǒu de shì
e.g. Don't talk irresponsibly about nonexistent things 
       不要亂[乱]說沒有的事。
       bú yào luàn shuō méi yǒu de shì。