並非

Is Not (Emphatic Formal)

Level 5Sounds Like bing6 fei1

並非 (bing6 fei1) is the formal equivalent of 唔係 (m4 hai6). It is used in high-register speech and writing to definitively state that something is not the case, often correcting a misconception.

How It Works

1. Function and Usage
並非 (bing6 fei1) functions as a negative copula (a 'to be' verb). It is used to negate nouns, adjectives, or entire clauses. Unlike the standard 唔係 (m4 hai6) negation, 並非 carries a tone of 'contrary to what you might think' or 'it is not in fact.'

2. Register and Context
This pattern is a feature of Standard Written Chinese (SWC) and the 'High' formal register in Hong Kong. While colloquial Cantonese writing uses 唔 and 係, 並非 appears in:

  • News broadcasts and documentaries
  • Academic lectures and legal proceedings
  • Formal speeches or business presentations

Using it in a casual setting would sound overly stiff or dramatic.

3. The 'Not A, but B' Construction
A high-frequency pairing for 並非 is the structure 並非... 而是... (bing6 fei1... ji4 si6...), meaning 'Not A, but rather B.' In formal spoken Cantonese, the '而是' is sometimes replaced with the semi-formal '而係' (ji4 hai6) to bridge the gap between registers.

4. Structural Patterns
並非 is versatile in its placement:

  • Negating a Noun: 並非事實 (bing6 fei1 si6 sat6) — 'is not the truth.'
  • Negating an Adjective: 並非易事 (bing6 fei1 ji6 si6) — 'is not an easy matter.'
  • Negating a Clause: 並非我唔去... (bing6 fei1 ngo5 m4 heoi3) — 'It is not that I won't go...' (often followed by a 'but rather' clause).

Examples (4)

  1. 呢個並非偶然。

    This is by no means a coincidence.

    Word by Word: This / indeed / is not / coincidence

    Commonly used in formal writing or news to emphasize that an event was planned or significant.

  2. 我並非要怪責你，而係想了解情況。

    It is not that I want to blame you, but rather I want to understand the situation.

    Word by Word: I / indeed / is not / want / blame / you, / but / is / want / understand / situation

    This demonstrates the common '並非... 而是...' (not A, but rather B) structure, though in spoken contexts '而是' (ji4 si6) is often replaced by '而係' (ji4 hai6).

  3. 單憑努力並非成功嘅唯一條件。

    Hard work alone is not the only condition for success.

    Word by Word: Only / rely on / effort / indeed / is not / success / possessive / only / condition

    A formal philosophical or academic statement using 並非 to negate a noun phrase.

  4. 佢並非香港人。

    He is not a Hong Konger (formal/official context).

    Word by Word: He / indeed / is not / Hong Kong / person

    While '佢唔係香港人' is colloquial, this version might appear in a legal document or a formal biography.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing formal '並非' with colloquial sentence-final particles.

    呢個並非我嘅主意啦。
    呢個並非我嘅主意。

    並非 (bing6 fei1) is high-register. Adding colloquial particles like 啦 (laa1) or 喎 (wo3) creates a register clash. In formal speech, sentence-final particles are often omitted or replaced with formal ones.

  • Using '並非' to negate a simple action verb.

    我並非食飯。
    我並唔係食飯 / 我並唔鍾意食飯。

    並非 is a copula (is not). To negate a verb like 'eat' or 'like' with emphasis, use '並唔' (bing6 m4) or '並唔係' (bing6 m4 hai6) instead.

  • Double negation by adding '唔'.

    佢唔並非醫生。
    佢並非醫生。

    The character 非 (fei1) already contains the meaning of 'not'. Adding 唔 (m4) before it is redundant and grammatically incorrect.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

並非Level 5Is Not (Emphatic Formal)

Learn This First

並非 is a formal negative copula used to emphatically state that something is not the case. To understand it, learners should already be familiar with the basic way to say 'is not' (唔係) and recognize that this pattern belongs to a more formal or written register of the language.

Words in This Pattern

并非