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不见 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不见bújiànnot to seeHSK 3, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #2001, Medium
不见bújiànnot to meetHSK 3, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #2001, Medium
不见bújiànto have disappearedHSK 3, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #2001, Medium
不见bújiànto be missingHSK 3, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #2001, Medium
bújiàn(bu2jian4)bu jian T4
  1. 1not to see
  2. 2not to meet
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March 24, 2026

不见(不見)bújiàn(bu2jian4)

不见 (bù jiàn) means 'not to see' or 'to have disappeared.' It is commonly used to express that someone or something is missing or cannot be found. The phrase can also indicate a lack of meeting or contact with someone, often in a more casual or informal context.

Strokes8Frequency#2001DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 'not seen' can sometimes imply a deeper social context, such as avoiding someone or ghosting in social situations. This reflects the importance of face and personal relationships in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Think of 不 (bù) as a 'no' sign blocking your view and 见 (jiàn) as a pair of eyes trying to see. Together, they depict the idea of something being obscured from sight or lost. Imagine a friend you were supposed to meet, but they are 'not seen' anywhere.

Meanings of 不见

bújiàn(bu2jian4)
1not to see
2not to meet
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About 不见

不见Simplified
不見Traditional
8Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

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Podcast: 不见

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AI Study Notes for 不见

Quick Contrast

失踪 (shīzōng) vs 不见 (bùjiàn): use 不见 when something is missing or not seen in a more casual context, while 失踪 implies a more serious or formal situation of disappearance.

Usage Notes

Avoid confusing 不见 with 见 (jiàn), which means 'to see.' This word is more appropriate in informal contexts; for formal situations, you might opt for other phrases when addressing absence or disappearance. Be cautious with the tones, as mispronouncing them can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

不见 is not an HSK level word, but it connects with basic vocabulary around negation (不) and actions (见). Focus on practicing sentences that involve absence or missing items, as this will help reinforce your understanding of the phrase in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 不见 with 见 (jiàn) and mistakenly say '我见他' (wǒ jiàn tā) instead of '我不见他' (wǒ bù jiàn tā) when they mean they cannot see him. Ensure you use the correct negation to express absence.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不见

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Component Characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
View full entry
见jiànto see
HSK 14 strokes见
View full entry

How to say not to see in Chinese

“not to see” in Chinese is不见bújiàn

不见 (bù jiàn) means 'not to see' or 'to have disappeared.' It is commonly used to express that someone or something is missing or cannot be found. The phrase can also indicate a lack of meeting or contact with someone, often in a more casual or informal context.

When to use 不见

Avoid confusing 不见 with 见 (jiàn), which means 'to see.' This word is more appropriate in informal contexts; for formal situations, you might opt for other phrases when addressing absence or disappearance. Be cautious with the tones, as mispronouncing them can change the meaning.

不见 or something close to it

失踪 (shīzōng) vs 不见 (bùjiàn): use 不见 when something is missing or not seen in a more casual context, while 失踪 implies a more serious or formal situation of disappearance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 不见 with 见 (jiàn) and mistakenly say '我见他' (wǒ jiàn tā) instead of '我不见他' (wǒ bù jiàn tā) when they mean they cannot see him. Ensure you use the correct negation to express absence.

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不
见

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Frequently Asked Questions about 不见

不见 is generally more informal and may not be suitable for formal writing; instead, consider using phrases like '缺失' (quē shī) for missing.

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