Chinese · Greetings & Phrases
不是
Bú shì
No
Beginnerphrase
Definition
A negative answer meaning that something is not the case.
Example
他不是老师，他是医生。
He is not a teacher, he is a doctor.
Etymology
'不是' (Bú shì) translates to 'no,' where '不' (bù) means 'not' and '是' (shì) means 'to be.' This expression is widely utilized to negate statements.
How & Where It’s Used
'不是' is used in both formal and informal contexts to express negation and appears in spoken as well as written forms.