非 - Mandarin word #1821

Translation

not, non-, to be against, must (in 非...不可)

Word origin

Originally a pictograph of two wings spreading in opposite directions, giving rise to the meanings of opposition and negation.

非

。

This matter can only be done by him.

。

Right and wrong must be clearly distinguished.

。

He absolutely insists on going.

。

This is an illegal act.

。

I simply must finish reading this book.

非 (fēi) means not or non-, and marks opposition or wrongdoing. In the pattern 非...不可 it conveys a strong sense of must or have to.

不

not, no

非常

extremely, very, unusual

错

wrong, mistaken, error

必须

must, have to

反对

to oppose, to object to

Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 非.

(5)

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