How to Say “Yes and no” in Chinese
Feelings and opinions · HSK 1
"Yes and no" in Chinese is 是的 / 不是 (shì de / bú shì). Chinese has no single "yes" or "no". Answers echo the verb from the question: asked 你是学生吗 (are you a student?), reply 是 (yes) or 不是 (no).
Primary translation
是的 / 不是
shì de / bú shì
When to use it
Chinese has no single "yes" or "no". Answers echo the verb from the question: asked 你是学生吗 (are you a student?), reply 是 (yes) or 不是 (no). Asked 你去吗, reply 去 (I am going) or 不去. For "yes, this is correct" use 对 (duì); the opposite is 不对 (bú duì). 嗯 (ǹg) is a grunt of affirmation between friends. 好 (hǎo) signals agreement to a suggestion.
Example sentences
你是中国人吗？是的。
Nǐ shì Zhōngguó rén ma? Shì de.
Are you Chinese? Yes.
你会说英文吗？不会。
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? Bú huì.
Do you speak English? No.
对，我就是他。
Duì, wǒ jiùshì tā.
Correct, I am him.