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不许 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不许bùxǔnot to allowHSK 6, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #1339, Hard
不许bùxǔmust notHSK 6, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #1339, Hard
不许bùxǔcan'tHSK 6, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #1339, Hard
bùxǔ(bu4xu3)bu xu T4
  1. 1not to allow
  2. 2must not
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March 24, 2026

不许(不許)bùxǔ(bu4xu3)

不许 (bù xǔ) means 'not to allow' or 'must not.' It is often used in prohibitive contexts where an action or behavior is explicitly forbidden. Commonly found in rules or regulations, its tone conveys a sense of authority and seriousness.

Strokes10Frequency#1339DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of authority and rules is significant, and 不许 reflects the respect for regulations in various aspects of life, from family to government. It can often be seen in public signage where certain behaviors are strictly prohibited.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big 'NO' sign (不) standing in front of a door (许) that you are not allowed to enter. The character 不 means 'not,' while 许 can be associated with 'allow.' Together, they create a vivid image of being denied access.

Meanings of 不许

bùxǔ(bu4xu3)
1not to allow
2must not
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 不许

不许Simplified
不許Traditional
10Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 不许

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Podcast: 不许

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AI Study Notes for 不许

Quick Contrast

禁止 (jìnzhǐ) - use 不许 (bùxǔ) for personal prohibitions or informal contexts, while 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) is more formal and official.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 不许 with 不能 (bù néng), which means 'cannot' due to inability rather than prohibition. 不许 is more formal and typically appears in written contexts, such as signs or legal documents. Remember that it carries a strong tone, so use it appropriately.

HSK Study Tips

不许 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary list, but it is useful for building prohibitive expressions. Learners should focus on its usage in contexts involving rules and restrictions, and relate it to other HSK words like 允许 (yǔn xǔ), which means 'to allow.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 不许 and 不能, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我不许去' (Wǒ bù xǔ qù) instead of the correct '我不能去' (Wǒ bù néng qù) if they mean 'I cannot go.' Always use 不许 for prohibitions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不许

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Component Characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
View full entry
许Xǔto allow
HSK 76 strokes讠
View full entry

How to say not to allow in Chinese

“not to allow” in Chinese is不许bùxǔ

不许 (bù xǔ) means 'not to allow' or 'must not.' It is often used in prohibitive contexts where an action or behavior is explicitly forbidden. Commonly found in rules or regulations, its tone conveys a sense of authority and seriousness.

When to use 不许

Be careful not to confuse 不许 with 不能 (bù néng), which means 'cannot' due to inability rather than prohibition. 不许 is more formal and typically appears in written contexts, such as signs or legal documents. Remember that it carries a strong tone, so use it appropriately.

不许 or something close to it

禁止 (jìnzhǐ) - use 不许 (bùxǔ) for personal prohibitions or informal contexts, while 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) is more formal and official.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mix up 不许 and 不能, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我不许去' (Wǒ bù xǔ qù) instead of the correct '我不能去' (Wǒ bù néng qù) if they mean 'I cannot go.' Always use 不许 for prohibitions.

Write 不许

不
许

Practice writing 不许 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Usage Notes for 不许

Misuse of 不许Common Error

Learners often confuse 不许 with other negative forms like 不可以 (bù kěyǐ). While both indicate prohibition, 不许 is often more formal or authoritative.

1

不许在这里吸烟。

Smoking is not allowed here.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____在这里吸烟。

Smoking is not allowed here.

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Cultural Notes for 不许

💡Did you know?

在中国,'不许'常用于学校和家庭中,表达父母或老师对孩子行为的限制。例如,父母可能会说“不许吃零食”,以帮助孩子养成良好的饮食习惯。

📜Proverb

中国有一句俗语:'不听老人言,吃亏在眼前',强调了听从长辈的建议和禁止的重要性,类似于“不许”的概念。

Frequently Asked Questions about 不许

Yes! In a conversation, you might hear someone say '这里不许吸烟' (zhè lǐ bù xǔ xī yān), meaning 'Smoking is not allowed here'. It's a clear way to communicate rules or restrictions.

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