(bú shì) - is not, am not, are not in Mandarin

búshì

Traditional: 不是

#38 of 2,700Core 1000

Translation

is not, am not, are not

Test yourself on 不是

Three quick questions. No account needed.

Know this word? Create a free account to track it.

Word origin

A two-character expression: 不 'not' plus 是 'to be' (composed of 日 'sun' over 正 'correct', conveying affirmation). Together 不是 means 'is not'.

Origin: compound
Root: 不 (not) + 是 (日 sun + 正 correct)

Stroke order

不

是

Examples

，。

I am not a student, I am a teacher.

。

This is not my book.

？

Did you not say you were coming tomorrow?

。

Today is not Monday.

。

I did not do it on purpose.

Where this fits

The 1,000 most common Mandarin words

Where this word sits in the core vocabulary, and what to learn around it.

Mandarin vocabulary by HSK level

How many words each level actually needs, with real counts.

Mandarin learning guides

Podcasts, pronunciation traps and the things a word list cannot teach.

Used in

Stories

(24)

Grammar articles

(16)

Add to review queue

Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.

Chapters 1 and 2 free

Meet this word in a story

Every course has graded stories written only with words you have been taught, plus grammar drills, a games arcade and printable worksheets. Chapters 1 and 2 are free.

Chapters 1 and 2 free, forever. Plus: 7 days free, then $5 a month for all eleven languages.

Start learning free

Mandarin · Free printables

不是: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "不是" (is not, am not, are not): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

This word is taught in chapter 2, lesson 4: 不是, 会, 来 and 7 more words.