别哭了
bié kū le
The phrase 'no more crying' in Mandarin is translated as 别哭了 (bié kū le).
别哭了 is a command used to tell someone to stop crying. It is commonly used by parents to comfort children or by friends to tell someone to stop being upset.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 别 (bié, 'don't'), 哭 (kū, 'cry') and 了 (le, a particle indicating a change in state).
Which one should you use?
While 别哭了 is the natural, conversational way to request a change in state, using the shorter 别哭 makes the command feel more direct and abrupt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 了 at the end of 别哭了 is crucial because it implies the person was crying previously and you are requesting a change to a state of not crying.
How do you pronounce it?
bié kū le
Did you know?
- In Mandarin, the character for 'cry' 哭 is a phono-semantic compound where the top part represents a mouth and the bottom part represents a dog, mimicking the sound of a howl.
- While 别哭了 is the standard command, parents often use the word 乖 (guāi), which means 'obedient' or 'well-behaved', to soothe a child into stopping their tears.
- In high-context social settings, telling an adult 别哭了 can be perceived as dismissive or cold. The listener might feel you are invalidating their emotions rather than offering comfort, depending heavily on your tone.
Examples in context
- 别再哭了。我会一直在你身边陪伴你。Don't cry anymore. I'll be here for you, accompanying you all the way.
- 别哭了，快点起来。Bié kū le, kuài diǎn qǐ lái.Stop crying, get up quickly.
- 孩子，别哭了，好吗？Háizi, bié kū le, hǎo ma?Child, no more crying, okay?
- 你已经很勇敢了，别哭了。Nǐ yǐjīng hěn yǒnggǎn le, bié kū le.You have been very brave, stop crying.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang is comforting Xinyi after she tripped and fell.
- 志强 Zhiqiang欣怡，别哭了。Xīnyí, bié kū le.Xinyi, stop crying.
- 欣怡 Xinyi我真的很疼。Wǒ zhēn de hěn téng.It really hurts.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没事的，很快就好了。Méishì de, hěn kuài jiù hǎo le.It's okay, it will be fine soon.
- 欣怡 Xinyi谢谢你，志强。Xièxiè nǐ, Zhìqiáng.Thank you, Zhiqiang.
