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Simplified
Pīnyīn
English Definition Add a new word to the dictionary Traditional
HSK
don't!; must not
HSK 2
it doesn't matter
HSK 1
you're welcome / don't mention it / impolite / rude / blunt
HSK 1
haven't / hasn't / doesn't exist / to not have / to not be
HSK 1
unimportant / not serious / it doesn't matter / never mind / it looks all right, but
HSK 4
won't do / be out of the question / be no good / not work / not be capable
HSK 2
contrary to what one might expect / actually / contrariwise / why don't you
HSK 5
is or isn't / yes or no / whether or not
HSK 1
have no choice or option but to / cannot but / have to / can't help it / can't avoid
HSK 3
hasn't yet; hasn't ever
HSK 5
didn't expect
HSK 4
that's right / sure! / rest assured! / that's good / can't go wrong
HSK 4
don't tell me ... / could it be that...?
HSK 3
unbearable / unable to endure / can't stand
HSK 4
won't do / unable to / (at the end of a rhetorical question) can that be?
HSK 6
whether or not / can it or can't it / is it possible?
HSK 6
say no more / don't bring it up / drop the subject
HSK 7-9
lit. I dare not (accept the honor); fig. I don't deserve your praise / you flatter me
HSK 5
not to allow / must not / can't
HSK 5
shadowboxing or Taiji, T'aichi or T'aichichuan / traditional form of physical exercise or relaxation / a martial art
HSK 7-9
to catch cold / (common) cold / CL: 場|场, / (coll.) to be interested in (often used in the negative) / (Tw) to detest / can't stand
HSK 3
(coll.) can't do anything about it / (coll.) there's no way that ...; it's simply not credible that ... / (coll.) couldn't be (better) (i.e. simply wonderful)
HSK 4
(idiom) can't help but; involuntarily
HSK 7-9
hen / don't know (humorous slang mimicking Cantonese 唔知, Jyutping: m4 zi1)
HSK 6
it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind / think nothing of it; it's my pleasure; you're welcome
HSK 1
whether (or not) / if / is or isn't
HSK 4
T-shirt
don't think (that) / don't imagine (that)
HSK 7-9
can't say for sure / maybe
HSK 4
can't bear to (do sth emotionally painful)
improbable / unlikely / will not (act, happen etc) / not able / not having learned to do sth / (coll.) (Tw) don't mention it / not at all
can't help / cannot but
HSK 7-9
cannot afford / can't afford buying
HSK 7-9
(neologism c. 2017) (coll.) chill about everything (typically used to describe young people who don't buy into aspirational society)
the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom) / you can run this time, but you'll have to come back / I'll get you sooner or later
peanut gallery (esp. in online forums) / onlookers who are interested in the spectacle but don't have anything knowledgeable to say about it / (neologism c. 2016)
a little dirt never killed anybody (proverb) / a couple of germs won't do you any harm
can't help (doing sth)
don't be fooled by the fact that
HSK 7-9
lit. dragon births dragon, phoenix births phoenix (idiom) / fig. the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
lit. isn't that a joy? (quote from Confucius) / fig. (jocular) extremely; awfully
HSK 7-9
don't mention it / no formalities, please
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *T* | T* | *T
(slang) butch (lesbian stereotype)
you're welcome / don't mention it / no need to stand on ceremony
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *休* | 休* | *休
to rest / to stop doing sth for a period of time / to cease / (imperative) don't
won't get far; unlikely to be successful
unavoidable / can't be avoided
HSK 7-9
reaching heaven in a single bound (idiom); (esp. with negative: don't expect) instant success
it isn't worth it / not cost-effective / not profitable / too expensive
T-junction
(haven't done sth) for a long time / a long time since we last met
HSK 7-9
really isn't
HSK 7-9
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *别* | 别* | *别
to leave; to part (from) / (literary) to differentiate; to distinguish / (dialect) to turn away; to turn aside; to avert (one's face, gaze etc) / (bound form) other; another; different / don't ...! / to fasten with a pin or clip / to stick in; to insert (in order to hinder movement) / (noun suffix) category (as in 性別|性别, 派別|派别)
HSK 1
a perception that doesn't reflect reality / a notion based on an erroneous belief
can't be bought for one thousand in gold (idiom)
no matter if / regardless of / don’t worry about (it, him etc) / doesn’t matter
can't help (doing sth) / can't refrain from
HSK 6
couldn't be better / ideal / wonderful
isn't that so?
(idiom) a thing should not be attempted more than three times; don't repeat the same mistake again and again / (idiom) bad things don't happen more than three times
nonsense; rubbish; superfluous words / You don't say!; No kidding! (gently sarcastic)
HSK 7-9
lit. don't let one's own fertile water flow into others' field / fig. keep the goodies within the family (proverb)
the three imperishables, three ways to distinguish oneself that aren't forgotten by history: through one's virtue 立德, one's service 立功 and one's writings 立言 (from the Zuo Zhuan 左傳|左传)
lit. you can't gain knowledge without practical experience (idiom) / fig. wisdom only comes with experience
You're welcome / Don't mention it
don't mention it; not at all
can't keep up with / can't catch up with / cannot overtake
HSK 6
to take seriously (often with negative expression: "don't take it too seriously") / to treat conscientiously
lit. eyes obscured by a single leaf (idiom) / fig. not seeing the wider picture / can't see the wood for the trees
lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom) / fig. at a total loss
the rain will fall, the womenfolk will marry (idiom) / fig. the natural order of things / something you can't go against
how could one dare? / I don't deserve such praise
lit. when a man stands straight, he doesn't worry that his shadow is slanting (saying) / fig. as long as one conducts oneself honorably, one need not worry about what people think; a clean hand wants no washing
a black stallion or possibly a yellow mare (idiom); don't judge by outward appearance
An ounce of gold can't buy you an interval of time (idiom); Money can't buy you time. / Time is precious.
lit. family members speak frankly with one another, not courteously, as if they were from two different families (idiom) / fig. people don't need to be deferential when they ask a family member for help / people from the same family should stick together (and good friends likewise)
hard to say; can't be sure / difficult to speak about; unpleasant to say
although I don't understand it, it seems pretty awesome (Internet slang)
to empathize with; to show solicitude for / (loanword) T-shirt
can't compare with
HSK 7-9
(coll.) Don't waste your breath. / Save it!
lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath / incomparable
lit. there is nothing the determined person can't accomplish (idiom) / fig. persistence will overcome
lit. doesn't (even) enter a single aperture (of one's head) / I don't understand a word (idiom) / it's all Greek to me
to triumph in every battle and win every fight (idiom); all-conquering / ever victorious / nothing they can't do
Don't get a reward if it's not deserved. (idiom)
lit. the eye cannot recognize the letter T (idiom); totally illiterate
the name does not correspond to reality (idiom); it doesn't live up to its reputation
The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom); You won't get anywhere without equipment.
can't wait
unavoidably / can't help / really / rather
HSK 7-9
can't help it / can't bear it
HSK 7-9
lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb) / fig. goods' (or person's) true value can only be determined through comparison
out of fashion / outmoded / impermissible / can't
don't insist on only taking one road to Rome (idiom) / there's more than one way to skin a cat
no stronghold one cannot overcome (idiom); to conquer every obstacle / nothing one can't do / to carry everything before one
if it isn't bright in the east, it'll be bright in the west (idiom) / if something doesn't work here, it might work somewhere else
when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom)
lit. sharpening the axe won't make the wood-splitting take longer (idiom) / fig. time invested in preparations is not lost / a beard well lathered is half shaved
lit. Even if we don't see each other, don't give up and leave (idiom) / fig. Be sure to wait! / See you there!

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