English–Chinese

“may not” in Chinese

Chinese

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù yī dìng

Example

我不一定能去。wǒ bù yí dìng néng qù

I may not be able to go.

Illustration for 不一定 (may not)

How to say “may not” in Chinese

“May not” in Chinese is 不一定 (bù yī dìng).

Leaves room between yes and no about whether an event will happen or keep happening.

Full entry for 不一定: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 不一定

明天不一定会下雨。míng tiān bù yí dìng huì xià yǔ

It may not rain tomorrow.

Tips for using 不一定

  • English speakers may hear a negative word as a complete no, but here the negative limits certainty rather than canceling the event.

“may not” in other languages