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March 24, 2026
不对(不對)bùduì(bu4dui4)
不对 (bù duì) means 'incorrect' or 'wrong' and is commonly used to express disagreement or to indicate that something is not proper or suitable. It can also imply that a situation is abnormal or queer, making it versatile in various contexts, from casual conversations to more formal discussions.
Frequency#1775DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, admitting that something is wrong can be sensitive, especially in hierarchical relationships. Therefore, using 不对 appropriately can show respect and awareness of social dynamics.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person at a party trying to dance, but they keep getting the steps wrong. You can visualize them saying '不对' (bù duì) while stepping on others' toes. The character 不 (bù) looks like a person with a raised hand, indicating something is not right, and 对 (duì) can be imagined as two people facing each other correctly, but here it's not the case.
Meanings of 不对
bùduì(bu4dui4)
1incorrect
2wrong
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 不对
不对Simplified
不對Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1YCTL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 不对
Podcast: 不对
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AI Study Notes for 不对
Quick Contrast
错 (cuò) - use 不对 for situations that are not just wrong but also inappropriate or unsuitable, whereas 错 typically emphasizes factual inaccuracies.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person at a party trying to dance, but they keep getting the steps wrong. You can visualize them saying '不对' (bù duì) while stepping on others' toes. The character 不 (bù) looks like a person with a raised hand, indicating something is not right, and 对 (duì) can be imagined as two people facing each other correctly, but here it's not the case.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to use 不对 in overly formal contexts, as it can come off as too blunt. Instead, use more polite alternatives when disagreeing, such as '我不同意' (wǒ bù tóng yì). Common collocations include '不对劲' (bù duì jìn), meaning 'something feels off' or '不对称' (bù duì chèn), meaning 'asymmetrical'.
HSK Study Tips
不对 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary but is still essential for effective communication. Focus on using it in response to questions or statements to practice your conversational skills and to express your opinion clearly.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, admitting that something is wrong can be sensitive, especially in hierarchical relationships. Therefore, using 不对 appropriately can show respect and awareness of social dynamics.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 不对 with 对不起 (duì bù qǐ), which means 'sorry'. For instance, saying '我不对你' (wǒ bù duì nǐ) instead of '我对不起你' (wǒ duì bù qǐ nǐ) is incorrect; the former does not convey an apology.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 不对
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Usage Notes for 不对
Confusing 不对 with 对Common Error
Learners often confuse 不对 (incorrect) with 对 (correct). It's important to remember that 不对 negates correctness.
1
你的答案不对。
Your answer is incorrect.
Exercise 1 of 1
Fill in the Blank
你的答案____。
Your answer is incorrect.
Cultural Notes for 不对
💡Did you know?
In Chinese, saying 不对 is often used when correcting someone, similar to saying 'That's not right' in English. It reflects the value placed on accuracy and correctness in communication.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, admitting that something is wrong can be sensitive, especially in hierarchical relationships. Therefore, using 不对 appropriately can show respect and awareness of social dynamics.
Frequently Asked Questions about 不对
不对 (bù duì) and 错 (cuò) both mean 'wrong,' but 不对 is often used to express disagreement or to correct statements, while 错 is more commonly used to refer to mistakes or errors. For example, if you want to correct a statement, it's more appropriate to use 不对. In contrast, if you found a mistake in a test, you would say that it is 错.
Yes, 不对 (bù duì) can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in more formal situations, you might want to choose a more polite way to express disagreement or correction, such as using 不正确 (bù zhèngquè) which means 'not correct.'
不对 (bù duì) means 'incorrect' or 'wrong' in Chinese. It can be used in various contexts to indicate that something is not right or is amiss. For example, if someone gives an incorrect answer, you can say 这个答案不对 (zhège dá'àn bù duì), meaning 'This answer is incorrect.'
不对 (bù duì) can be used in sentences to express disagreement or to correct someone. For instance, you can say 你的想法不对 (nǐ de xiǎngfǎ bù duì), which means 'Your idea is wrong.' It's a simple yet effective way to indicate that something is not correct.
It's generally better to avoid using 不对 in formal writing; instead, consider more formal phrases to express disagreement.
You can acknowledge their point by saying '我认为你说得对' (wǒ rèn wéi nǐ shuō dé duì), meaning 'I think you are right'.
Not only for mistakes, 不对 can also describe situations or feelings that are not right or feel odd.
