Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 有 | yǒu |
| 擁有 / 拥有 | yōngyǒu |
The most common translation for 'to have' is 有. It is used to indicate possession, such as having money or a map and can also be used to state that one has a medical condition like high blood pressure.
Which one should you use?
While 有 is the standard word for 'to have', 拥有 or 擁有 is a more formal and heavy term used to express possession on a larger scale. This includes possessing large-scale assets, qualities or abstract concepts such as owning a vast territory or possessing certain rights.
How does it change in a sentence?
To negate the verb 有, you must use 沒有 instead of adding 不 before it. To form a common 'yes/no' question meaning 'Do you have…?' or 'Is there…?', you can use the phrase 有沒有. Additionally, to emphasize possession or to describe something you possess, you can add 着 after 有 to form 有着.
How do you pronounce it?
yǒu
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 不有 to say 'not have'. This is an error. The only correct way to negate this verb is to use 沒有.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 你有多少钱？How much money do you have?This example shows how to use 有 to ask about the quantity of money someone possesses.Tatoeba #771082 by GlossaMatik, translation #64597 by CK
- 我有高血压。I have high blood pressure.This example demonstrates using 有 to state a medical condition.Tatoeba #815684 by GlossaMatik, translation #241256 by CK
- 你有地圖嗎？Do you have a map?This example uses 有 to ask if someone possesses a specific object.Tatoeba #1261483 by tsayng, translation #434544 by lukaszpp
- 我有一本书。I have a book.
- 他有一条狗。He has a dog.
- 他们有两个孩子。They have two children.
- 我拥有一辆汽车。I possess a car.
- 她拥有很多房地产。She has a lot of real estate.
- 我们拥有这个公司。We own this company.
- 我有很多朋友。I have many friends.
- 你有空吗？Do you have free time?
- 他有一个好主意。He has a great idea.
- 他有着非常好的记忆力。He has an excellent memory.
- 我有着一双美丽的眼睛。I have beautiful eyes.
- 她有着一颗善良的心。She has a kind heart.
- 1639 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yuting and Wei are talking about their pets.
- 雨婷 Yuting你有宠物吗？Nǐ yǒu chǒngwù ma?Do you have any pets?
- 伟 Wei我有两只猫。Wǒ yǒu liǎng zhī māo.I have two cats.
- 雨婷 Yuting真好，我没有宠物。Zhēn hǎo, wǒ méiyǒu chǒngwù.That's great, I don't have any pets.
- 伟 Wei你想养一只吗？Nǐ xiǎng yǎng yì zhī ma?Do you want to raise one?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “have” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 有, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
