bù duì: 不对 - Not right, Incorrect, Wrong

• Keywords: bù duì, 不对, not right in Chinese, incorrect in Chinese, something is wrong in Chinese, how to say wrong in Chinese, Chinese grammar negation, HSK 1 vocabulary, Chinese for beginners, 不 vs 错.
• Summary: Discover the meaning and usage of 不对 (bù duì), the fundamental Chinese word for “not right,” “incorrect,” or “wrong.” This comprehensive guide is perfect for beginners, explaining how to use 不对 to correct factual errors, disagree politely, and express when a situation “feels off.” Learn through cultural insights, over 10 practical example sentences, and a clear breakdown of common mistakes, such as the difference between 不对 (bù duì) and 错 (cuò).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bù duì
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Adverb
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: Not correct; wrong; incorrect.
• In a Nutshell: 不对 (bù duì) is your primary tool for expressing that something is incorrect. It can refer to a factual error (like a wrong answer on a test), a mistaken statement, or a general sense that a situation is amiss or not as it should be. It's direct, but generally less harsh than the English word “wrong,” making it incredibly versatile in daily conversation.

• 不 (bù): This is the most common negating character in Chinese, meaning “not” or “no.” It's a simple, powerful character used to reverse the meaning of the word that follows it.
• 对 (duì): This character means “right,” “correct,” or “to face.” Think of it as indicating that things are aligned or in agreement.
• When combined, 不对 (bù duì) literally translates to “not right,” forming a logical and straightforward term for “incorrect.”

While 不对 (bù duì) translates to “not right” or “wrong,” its social weight can be different from its English counterparts. In Western cultures, directly telling someone “You're wrong” can be highly confrontational and is often avoided in polite conversation. In Chinese, using 不对 to point out a factual error is very common and usually neutral. For example, a teacher telling a student “这个答案不对 (This answer is not right)” is simply stating a fact, not delivering a harsh criticism. However, the key cultural nuance lies in its use for indicating that something feels “off.” A Chinese speaker might say 情况有点不对 (qíngkuàng yǒudiǎn bù duì), meaning “The situation feels a bit off.” This is a subtle and very common way to express unease or suspicion without making a direct accusation. It reflects a cultural preference for indirectness in potentially sensitive situations. It’s less about a logical “wrong” and more about an intuitive “not right.”

不对 is used constantly in everyday life, from casual chats to more formal settings.

• Correcting Information: This is its most frequent use. If someone gives you the wrong directions, tells you the wrong time, or miscalculates a price, 不对 is the perfect response.
  • “Is the meeting at 3 PM?” “不对，是 4 点。” (Bù duì, shì 4 diǎn.) - “Not right, it's at 4.”
• Expressing Disagreement: It can be used to disagree with a statement or opinion. To soften the disagreement, people often add words like 我觉得 (wǒ juéde - I think) or 好像 (hǎoxiàng - it seems).
  • “我觉得你说的不对。” (Wǒ juéde nǐ shuō de bù duì.) - “I think what you said is not right.”
• Indicating Something is Amiss: This is a crucial, nuanced usage. It applies to tastes, smells, feelings, or situations that are not as expected.
  • “这个菜的味道不对。” (Zhège cài de wèidào bù duì.) - “The taste of this dish isn't right.” (It tastes funny/spoiled).
  • “他的脸色不对，是不是生病了？” (Tā de liǎnsè bù duì, shì bu shì shēngbìng le?) - “His complexion doesn't look right, is he sick?”

• Example 1:
  • 你写的这个汉字不对。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiě de zhège Hànzì bù duì.
  • English: This Chinese character you wrote is incorrect.
  • Analysis: A straightforward and neutral correction, very common in a learning environment.
• Example 2:
  • A: 我们往左走。 (Wǒmen wǎng zuǒ zǒu.) - Let's go left.
  • B: 不对，地图上说我们应该往右走。 (Bù duì, dìtú shàng shuō wǒmen yīnggāi wǎng yòu zǒu.)
  • English: B: That's not right, the map says we should go right.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual correction used to prevent a mistake. It is direct but not rude in this context.
• Example 3:
  • 我觉得情况有点不对，大家都很安静。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde qíngkuàng yǒudiǎn bù duì, dàjiā dōu hěn ānjìng.
  • English: I feel like something is a bit off with the situation, everyone is very quiet.
  • Analysis: This shows the nuanced use of 不对 to express a vague feeling that something is amiss or strange.
• Example 4:
  • 这个牛奶的味道不对，你最好别喝了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège niúnǎi de wèidào bù duì, nǐ zuìhǎo bié hē le.
  • English: This milk tastes wrong, you'd better not drink it.
  • Analysis: Here, 不对 is used to describe a sensory experience that indicates a problem (i.e., the milk is spoiled).
• Example 5:
  • 你这样对你的朋友说话是不对的。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhèyàng duì nǐ de péngyou shuōhuà shì bù duì de.
  • English: It's not right for you to speak to your friend like that.
  • Analysis: In this context, 不对 takes on a slightly moral tone, meaning “inappropriate” or “improper.” The “是…的” (shì…de) structure emphasizes the statement.
• Example 6:
  • 他说他是经理，不对吧？我记得他是副经理。
  • Pinyin: Tā shuō tā shì jīnglǐ, bù duì ba? Wǒ jìde tā shì fù jīnglǐ.
  • English: He said he's the manager, that's not right, is it? I remember he's the vice manager.
  • Analysis: Using “吧” (ba) at the end softens 不对 into a speculative question, inviting confirmation rather than making a hard statement.
• Example 7:
  • 计算结果不对，我们再算一遍。
  • Pinyin: Jìsuàn jiéguǒ bù duì, wǒmen zài suàn yībiàn.
  • English: The calculation result is incorrect, let's calculate it again.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of 不对 in a technical or mathematical context where it is completely objective.
• Example 8:
  • 我感觉我的电脑有点不对劲，总是自动关机。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué wǒ de diànnǎo yǒudiǎn bù duì jìn, zǒngshì zìdòng guānjī.
  • English: I feel like something is wrong with my computer, it's always shutting down on its own.
  • Analysis: 不对劲 (bù duì jìn) is a common colloquial phrase that strongly means “something's fishy” or “something's wrong.” It intensifies the “amiss” feeling of 不对.
• Example 9:
  • 不好意思，这个价钱好像不对。
  • Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, zhège jiàqián hǎoxiàng bù duì.
  • English: Excuse me, it seems this price isn't correct.
  • Analysis: A very polite way to point out a mistake. “不好意思” (bù hǎoyìsi) and “好像” (hǎoxiàng) are excellent softeners.
• Example 10:
  • 他的逻辑不对，所以结论也是错的。
  • Pinyin: Tā de luójí bù duì, suǒyǐ jiélùn yěshì cuò de.
  • English: His logic is incorrect, so the conclusion is also wrong.
  • Analysis: This sentence cleverly shows the relationship between 不对 and 错 (cuò). The logic is “not right” (the process), leading to a “wrong” conclusion (the result).

• 不对 (bù duì) vs. 错 (cuò): This is the most important distinction.
  • 不对 means “not right” or “incorrect.” It's often more objective and softer. It focuses on the state of not being correct.
  • 错 (cuò) means “wrong” or “mistake.” It often carries a stronger sense of error and can imply fault. You make a 错误 (cuòwù - error/mistake), but an answer is simply 不对 (bù duì - not right).
  • Good: 我说错了。(Wǒ shuō cuò le.) - I said it wrong (I made a mistake in speaking).
  • Good: 那个答案不对。(Nàge dá'àn bù duì.) - That answer is not correct.
  • Awkward: 那个答案不错。(Nàge dá'àn bùcuò.) - This actually means “That answer is not bad/is pretty good!” Be careful!
• 不对 (bù duì) vs. 不是 (bù shì): A common beginner mistake.
  • 不是 (bù shì) negates identity. It means “is not a…”.
  • 不对 (bù duì) negates correctness. It means “is not correct.”
  • Incorrect Usage: “This is not my book.” → 这个是我的书不对。 (Incorrect grammar)
  • Correct Usage: 这不是我的书。(Zhè bù shì wǒ de shū.) - This is not my book.
  • Correct Usage: A: “Is this your book?” B: “不对，这不是我的书。” (Bù duì, zhè bù shì wǒ de shū.) - “Incorrect, this is not my book.” (Here, 不对 negates the other person's assumption).

• 对 (duì) - The direct antonym, meaning “right, correct.”
• 错 (cuò) - The most common word for “wrong, mistaken, error.” Often implies a clearer fault than 不对.
• 错误 (cuòwù) - A more formal noun or adjective for “error, mistake, fault.”
• 正确 (zhèngquè) - A formal word for “correct, proper, accurate.” The opposite of 错误.
• 不是 (bù shì) - “Is not.” Used to negate the identity or quality of a noun.
• 没有 (méi yǒu) - “To not have” or “did not.” Used to negate possession or completed actions in the past.
• 对不对 (duì bu duì) - “Right or not?” A common tag question used to ask for confirmation.
• 不对劲 (bù duì jìn) - A colloquial and stronger version meaning “something's wrong/fishy/amiss.”
• 好像 (hǎoxiàng) - “To seem like,” “as if.” Often used to soften a correction: 好像不对 (hǎoxiàng bù duì) - “It seems incorrect.”