Chinese Conversation · Level 76
90 words
Chinese word
无非
Pronunciation
Pinyinwú fēi
Meaning
- adverbjust
Example
他无非是想帮忙。tā wú fēi shì xiǎng bāng máng
He just wants to help.
More examples
他无非就是怕麻烦。tā wú fēi jiù shì pà má fán
He is just afraid of trouble.
Core concept
A statement draws a boundary around one explanation and leaves everything else outside it.
Common phrases
无非是wú fēi shì
just be
无非就是wú fēi jiù shì
just be
无非为了wú fēi wèi le
just to
Similar words
只是zhǐ shì: Simply indicating that something is the case, without suggesting any special reason or purpose.
仅仅jín jǐn: Indicating that the amount, extent, or role is small and no more than what is stated.
只不过zhǐ bú guò: Adding a mild qualification to show that the matter amounts to no more than this.
Definition in Chinese
用于把一件事归结为单一原因或动机，意为仅仅如此。yòng yú bǎ yí jiàn shì guī jié wèi dān yì yuán yīn huò dòng jī yì wèi jín jǐn rú cǐ
Word origin
The combination of 无 (wú, "not have") and 非 (fēi, "not; other than") creates the sense of excluding anything beyond the stated reason.
Usage tips
- In conversation, this adverb often frames a guess about someone's motive, but it can sound dismissive when another person's reasons are more complex.
Other meanings
- nothing butadverb
Opposites
- 绝非jué fēianything butadverb
- 远非yuǎn fēifar fromadverb