Negatives in Wenyan
The following was originally posted on Nothing Undone, a sister blog for Classical Chinese. It was originally meant as a reference for beginning students.
A number of characters are used in 文言 for the sake of negation. The following are the major ones and when they are likely to occur.
Remember that grammar and usage wasn’t ever really standardised, and that you’re likely to see variations on some of these depending on the country in which the text was written as well as the time period and of course author.
不
bù ㄅㄨ
This is a basic negator used for verbs. When used in a question, 亦 is added immediately after the verb.
知命者不怨天 “One who understands the nature of fate does not resent Heaven”
This is a basic negator used for verbs. When used in a question, 亦 is added immediately after the verb.
知命者不怨天 “One who understands the nature of fate does not resent Heaven”
無
wú ㄨ
the negative form of 有, not having or not existing.
This has survived in modern times in names (e.g. 江苏无锡) and in written form meaning “non-“, for example 无咽车 “non-smoking car”.
爲無爲
the negative form of 有, not having or not existing.
This has survived in modern times in names (e.g. 江苏无锡) and in written form meaning “non-“, for example 无咽车 “non-smoking car”.
爲無爲
无
弗
fú ㄈㄨ
a contraction of 不之
始吾弗信 “I didn’t believe it at first.”
a contraction of 不之
始吾弗信 “I didn’t believe it at first.”
勿
wú ㄨ
contraction of 毋之, used as an imperative. Replaces 不 before 能.
勿失 “do not lose it”
contraction of 毋之, used as an imperative. Replaces 不 before 能.
勿失 “do not lose it”
非
fēi ㄈㄟ
Primarily negates sentences otherwise ending with 也. Alternatively it can sometimes be simply a replacement for 不.
道可道 非常道 the Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao
Primarily negates sentences otherwise ending with 也. Alternatively it can sometimes be simply a replacement for 不.
道可道 非常道 the Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao
未
wèi ㄨㄟ
Used as “not ever”, “have not ever” or “not yet”
Used as “not ever”, “have not ever” or “not yet”
毋
wú ㄨ
Rarely seen in later texts. Ultimately replaced by 勿 and 没.
Rarely seen in later texts. Ultimately replaced by 勿 and 没.
For a more detailed explanation on some of these, see this article by Edwin G. Pulleyblank, “Emphatic negatives in classical Chinese”.