HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

请勿在此吸烟。
Qǐng wù zài cǐ xīyān.
Please do not smoke here.
勿忘带钥匙。
Wù wàng dài yàoshi.
Do not forget to bring the key.
他告诉我勿担心。
Tā gàosu wǒ wù dānxīn.
He told me not to worry.
请勿吸烟。
Qǐng wù xīyān.
Please do not smoke.
勿忘带钥匙。
Wù wàng dài yàoshi.
Do not forget to bring the keys.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 勿 as looking like a 'stop sign' with a slash through it—it visually represents 'do not.' Associate it with formal signs you might see in public, like '请勿吸烟' (no smoking), to remember its prohibitive meaning.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is primarily used in written Chinese, such as in signs, official notices, or formal documents, and is rarely used in casual spoken language. It is common in public contexts like warnings (e.g., on signs) or classical texts, giving it a formal and sometimes literary feel.

📖 Grammar Points

勿 is typically placed before a verb to form a negative command, e.g., 勿吸烟 (do not smoke). It is often used in imperative sentences and can be combined with 请 for politeness, as in 请勿打扰 (please do not disturb).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 勿 reflects a respect for rules and social order, commonly seen in public spaces to maintain harmony. Its use in classical texts, like Confucian sayings, adds a layer of traditional authority, emphasizing moral or societal prohibitions.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 别 (bié) and 不要 (bùyào), which also mean 'do not,' but 勿 is more formal and classical, while 别 and 不要 are used in everyday spoken Chinese. 勿 often appears in fixed phrases or written contexts, whereas 别/不要 are more flexible in conversation.

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