不啊
bù a
The English phrase "nope" can be translated into Chinese as 不啊 (bù a). Wiktionary also lists 不是啊 (búshì a).
Meaning: informal "no" (particle)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 不啊 | bù a |
| 不是啊 | búshì a |
Both 不啊 and 不是啊 function as informal ways to say "no" or "nope".
What does it mean word for word?
The form 不啊 consists of the negation 不 (not/no) and the particle 啊 (a). The particle 啊 is added to the negation to soften the tone, making the "no" sound more casual or conversational rather than blunt.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The forms 不啊 and 不是啊 are informal. In casual conversations, you might also hear 不行 to express a refusal or disagreement.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bù a
Did you know?
- The particle 啊 is part of a large family of modal particles that change the 'flavor' of a sentence. Changing 不啊 to 不嘛 can turn a 'nope' into a playful, whining 'no' used when begging for something.
- While 不啊 is a 'nope', Chinese speakers often avoid a direct 'no' in social invitations to save face, opting for 不太方便 meaning 'it is not very convenient'.
- In certain Chinese dialects, adding a particle like 啊 can actually make a 'no' sound more emphatic or even slightly annoyed rather than just soft. The effect depends entirely on the pitch and length of the 'a' sound.
Examples in context
- 不行，我今天有其他約會。(Bù xíng, wǒ jīn tiān yǒu qí tā yuē huì.)Nope, I have another appointment today.
- 哥們，我不要這個東西。(Gē men, wǒ bù yào zhè ge dōng xi.)No, buddy, I don't want this thing.
- 不啊，我没买。Bù ā, wǒ méi mǎi.Nope, I didn't buy it.
- 不啊，还没做完。Bù ā, hái méi zuò wán.Nope, not finished yet.
Example conversation
Yuting and Zhiqiang are talking about a movie.
- 雨婷 Yuting志强，你看过这部电影吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ kànguò zhè bù diànyǐng ma?Zhiqiang, have you seen this movie?
- 志强 Zhiqiang不啊，我还没看。Bù a, wǒ hái méi kàn.Nope, I haven't seen it yet.
- 雨婷 Yuting那我们要一起去看吗？Nà wǒmen yào yīqǐ qù kàn ma?Then do you want to go see it together?
- 志强 Zhiqiang好啊，没问题！Hǎo a, méi wèntí!Sure, no problem!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nope” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
