adverb HSK 3
Traditional 從不
cóng
never · never ever · at no time

Meaning

从不 means 'never' and is used to express that something has never happened or someone never does something. It's a combination of 从 (from) and 不 (not), literally meaning 'from not', indicating a continuous state of not doing something from past to present.

Usage

从不 is used before verbs to emphasize that an action has never occurred. It's more emphatic than 不 alone and carries a sense of 'not even once'. Commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe habits, behaviors, or past experiences that have never happened.

Examples

  1. 01
    从不吃辣的食物。
    cóng chī de shí .
    I never eat spicy food.
  2. 02
    从不在公共场合抽烟。
    cóng zài gōng gòng chǎng chōu yān.
    She never smokes in public places.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 从不迟到
    cóng chí dào
    never late
  • 从不放弃
    cóng fàng
    never give up
  • 从不说谎
    cóng shuō huǎng
    never lie

Antonyms

Origin

The combination literally means 'from not', expressing a continuous negative state stretching from some point in time through the present.

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