不同意
bù tóngyì
The English phrase "disagree" is translated into Chinese as 不同意 (bù tóngyì). Wiktionary also lists 反對 / 反对 (fǎnduì).
Meaning: to fail to agree (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 不同意 | bù tóngyì |
| 反對 / 反对 | fǎnduì |
不同意 is the standard way to express a lack of agreement in neutral or polite contexts, such as during discussions or debates.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 不同意 is composed of 不 (not), 同 (same) and 意 (opinion/idea/will), literally meaning "not same opinion".
Which one should you use?
While 不同意 expresses a simple lack of consensus or a difference in opinion, 反对 (or 反對) is a stronger term. Use 反对 when you are not just disagreeing with a point, but are actively opposing a person, a policy or a proposal.
How does it change in a sentence?
In English, you often say "disagree with" someone or something, but in Chinese, 不同意 can be followed directly by the object without a preposition (for example, 不同意你的看法).
How do you pronounce it?
bù tóngyì
Did you know?
- In high-context social settings, people often avoid saying 不同意 to save 'face' and instead say 我想再考慮考慮, meaning 'I would like to think about it more'.
- The word 反对 is not only for opinions but also for physical resistance, such as a horse fighting against its reins.
- The character 同 in 不同意 is the same character used in the word for 'classmate' (同學), linking the concept of agreement to shared identity.
Examples in context
- 我不同意你的说法。I disagree with what you say.This sentence shows how to use 不同意 to express disagreement with a statement.Tatoeba #13911099 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #5966464 by mailohilohi
- 我不同意你的看法。I disagree with you.This sentence shows how to use 不同意 to express disagreement with someone's view.Tatoeba #333122 by fucongcong, translation #252710 by CK
- 你可能跟我不同意。You may disagree with me.This sentence shows how to use 不同意 to express a possibility of disagreement.Tatoeba #8885792 by iiujik, translation #5743498 by CM
- 我不同意你的观点。I disagree with your viewpoint.
- 我持有不同看法。I have a different perspective.
- 不对，我不同意你的说法。No, I disagree with your statement.
- 我不赞同你的意见。I don't agree with your opinion.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new office policy.
- 雨婷 Yuting志强，你同意这个新规定吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ tóngyì zhège xīn guīdìng ma?Zhiqiang, do you agree with this new regulation?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我不同意，我觉得太严格了。Wǒ bù tóngyì, wǒ juédé tài yángé le.I disagree, I think it's too strict.
- 雨婷 Yuting可是公司需要提高效率。Kěshì gōngsī xūyào tígāo xiàolǜ.But the company needs to improve efficiency.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，效率不应该牺牲员工福利。Yǔtíng, xiàolǜ bù yīnggāi xīshēng yuángōng fúlì.Yuting, efficiency should not sacrifice employee benefits.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “disagree” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
