是 / 不是
shì / búshì
Yes and no
是 / 不是 (shì / búshì) are the primary ways to express "yes" and "no" in Mandarin Chinese, especially when responding to questions involving the verb 是 (shì) or when affirming/negating a statement. They literally mean "is" and "is not."
What does 是 / 不是 (shì / búshì) mean?
是 / 不是 (shì / búshì) means “yes and no” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “is / is not.”
When to use it
Neutral. Unlike English, Chinese doesn't have standalone "yes" or "no" words. Instead, you often repeat the verb from the question (e.g., 是 or 不是) or the main verb of the sentence. For other verbs, you'd use the verb itself or its negation (e.g., 去 / 不去 "go / not go").
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “shir” (like "sure" without the "e") for 是, and “boo-shir” for 不是. 是 is a falling tone. When 不 (bù) precedes another falling tone (like 是), its tone changes from falling to rising, so it's pronounced búshì.
Other ways to say it
- 对 / 不对duì / bùduìcorrect / incorrect
- 有 / 没有yǒu / méiyǒuhave / don't have (for possession or past actions)
- 嗯 / 不ǹg / bùmm-hmm (informal yes) / not + verb/adjective
Examples
你是不是学生？是 / 不是。
Nǐ shìbushì xuésheng? shì / búshì.
Are you a student? Yes / No.
他是中国人吗？是，他是中国人。
Tā shì zhōngguó rén ma? shì, tā shì zhōngguó rén.
Is he Chinese? Yes, he is Chinese.
这不是我的书。
Zhè búshì wǒ de shū.
This is not my book.
Pro tip: Remember that 是 / 不是 literally mean "is / is not." When answering a yes/no question, you typically affirm or negate the verb used in the question, rather than just saying a generic "yes" or "no." For example, if asked "Are you a student?" (你是学生吗?), you'd reply "是" (I am) or "不是" (I am not).
Related phrases
但是 · But
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