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不容 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不容bùróngmust notHSK 7, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #11584, Very Hard
不容bùróngcannotHSK 7, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #11584, Very Hard
不容bùróngto not allowHSK 7, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #11584, Very Hard
不容bùróngcannot tolerateHSK 7, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #11584, Very Hard
bùróng(bu4rong2)bu rong T4
  1. 1must not
  2. 2cannot
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March 24, 2026

不容bùróng(bu4rong2)

不容 (bù róng) means 'must not' or 'cannot tolerate.' It is commonly used to express that something is unacceptable or cannot be allowed in a certain context. This phrase often appears in formal discussions or when emphasizing strict rules or limitations.

Strokes14Frequency#11584DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The concept of 不容 reflects the Chinese cultural emphasis on harmony and discipline, where certain behaviors or actions are strictly controlled to maintain social order. This is often evident in both traditional and modern settings, such as in the workplace or educational institutions.

Memory tip

Imagine a strict teacher (不) who will not allow any disruptions (容) in class. The teacher's refusal to tolerate noise helps you remember that 不容 means 'must not' or 'cannot allow.'

Meanings of 不容

bùróng(bu4rong2)
1must not
2cannot
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 不容

不容Simplified
14Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 不容

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AI study notes for 不容

Quick Contrast

不允许 (bù yǔn xǔ) — use 不容 for stronger emphasis on intolerance compared to the more permissive 不允许.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 不 (bù) is fourth tone and 容 (róng) is second tone, which can easily be confused. This phrase is often used in formal and serious contexts, so it's less common in casual conversations. Common collocations include 不容置疑 (bù róng zhì yí - cannot be doubted) or 不容分心 (bù róng fēn xīn - cannot be distracted).

HSK Study Tips

不容 is not found in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it is useful for advanced learners. Focus on the nuances of its usage in formal writing and discussions, as it connects to concepts of prohibition and intolerance often seen in HSK Level 5 and above.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 不容 with 不能 (bù néng), which means 'cannot' but lacks the element of intolerance. For example, saying '我不容吃这个' (I cannot allow eating this) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我不能吃这个' (I cannot eat this).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不容

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Component characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
View full entry
容róngto hold
10 strokes宀
View full entry

How to say must not in Chinese

“must not” in Chinese is不容bùróng

不容 (bù róng) means 'must not' or 'cannot tolerate.' It is commonly used to express that something is unacceptable or cannot be allowed in a certain context. This phrase often appears in formal discussions or when emphasizing strict rules or limitations.

When to use 不容

Be cautious with the tone; 不 (bù) is fourth tone and 容 (róng) is second tone, which can easily be confused. This phrase is often used in formal and serious contexts, so it's less common in casual conversations. Common collocations include 不容置疑 (bù róng zhì yí - cannot be doubted) or 不容分心 (bù róng fēn xīn - cannot be distracted).

不容 or something close to it

不允许 (bù yǔn xǔ) — use 不容 for stronger emphasis on intolerance compared to the more permissive 不允许.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 不容 with 不能 (bù néng), which means 'cannot' but lacks the element of intolerance. For example, saying '我不容吃这个' (I cannot allow eating this) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我不能吃这个' (I cannot eat this).

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不
容

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Frequently asked questions about 不容

While it is more common in formal contexts, it can also appear in spoken language when discussing serious matters.

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