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Negation & Questions

Negation with 不/没
这是技巧而非运气。
This is skill rather than luck.
Zhè shì jìqiǎo ér fēi yùnqì.
Contrastive negation 而非 (ér fēi) = rather than
切勿忘记。
Be sure not to forget.
Qiè wù wàngjì.
Formal prohibitive 切勿 = absolutely must not
我非去不可。
I simply must go.
Wǒ fēi qù bùkě.
Literary pattern 非…不可 = must/can only
什么他都吃。
She eats everything.
Shénme tā dōu chī.
Wh + 都/也 for universal quantification
哪里我都不想去。
I don't want to go anywhere.
Nǎlǐ wǒ dōu bù xiǎng qù.
Indeterminate wh + 都 in negation = nowhere
我没有任何疑问。
I have no doubt at all.
Wǒ méiyǒu rènhé yíwèn.
Negative polarity item 任何 (rènhé) = any
此法不无道理。
This method is not without reason.
Cǐ fǎ bùwú dàolǐ.
Litotes: 不无 = not without (= has some)
问题在于我们是否充分准备。
The question is whether we prepared sufficiently.
Wèntí zàiyú wǒmen shìfǒu chōngfèn zhǔnbèi.
Embedded question in formal writing
几乎没有朋友
hardly any friends
jīhū méiyǒu péngyǒu
Scalar negation with 几乎 = almost/hardly
丝毫不差
not off by the slightest bit
sīháo bù chā
Negative polarity item 丝毫 = the slightest