méi

not have; no (past negation)

Type: AdverbsHSK 1
Character origin

Radical 氵 (water) + 殳 (to strike). It originally meant 'to sink', as if water struck and submerged something. Hence 'to not have' or 'to not exist'.

Did you know?

It pairs with 有 for 'to not have' (没有). It also negates the past: '没吃' (didn't eat). Remember: 不 negates the present or future, while 没 negates existence or the past.

Radicals it's made of
shuǐwater
shūhand weapon
Example sentence

我没有钱。

Wǒ méi yǒu qián.

I have no money.

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