未
not; did not; has not (the written 没有)
Structure
未 ＋ 动词 · 尚未 ＋ 动词 (= 还没有) · 未经／未满／未能
What it means
Not, did not, has not: the written form of 没(有). It negates something that did not happen or has not happened yet.
How it is built
未 + verb, or a compound: 尚未 (not yet), 从未 (never so far), 未经, 未必, 未满 (under), 未曾: 到目前为止，该公司尚未作出回应 (So far the company has not yet responded).
When to use it
Reports, judgments and notices: 未上诉, 未发现, 尚未结束. In conversation use 没. Compounds met already: 尚未 (3-8), 从未 (4-8), 未经 (5-3), 未必 (5-8).
Watch out
未 never takes 了 after the verb (✗未发现了), and it cannot replace 不 for habits, wishes or the future: ✗我明天未去。 ✓我明天不去。
Examples
二人未发生肢体冲突。
There was no physical altercation between the two.
到目前为止，该公司尚未作出回应。
So far the company has not yet responded.
未满十八岁的人不得进入网吧。
People under eighteen may not enter internet cafés.
Learn this in Lesson 121 · HSK 7–9: 电梯劝烟案 (Court report: the lift smoking case)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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