Yes and No in Chinese: 是, 对, 好, 不 & 没

An English yes/no question can ask about identity, possession, ability, intention, preference or permission. Chinese answers often focus on the verb in the question. This is why memorising 是 as “yes” and 不 as “no” produces awkward replies in many everyday situations.

对, 是的 and 没错: agreement

对 (duì) means correct or right and is common for agreeing with a statement: 对吗？ — 对。 是的 (shì de) means “yes, it is” and often answers an identity question. 没错 (méi cuò) means “that’s right” or “not wrong.” These are related, but they are not interchangeable with every question.

好, 好的 and 可以: accepting a request or offer

好 (hǎo), 好的 (hǎo de) and 可以 (kěyǐ) often mean “okay,” “sure” or “can do.” They are natural when someone asks you to do something or offers a choice. A bare 是 can sound unnatural here because the listener is not asking whether an identity statement is true.

Answers that repeat the verb

For questions such as 你去吗？ (Are you going?), a natural positive answer can be 去 (going) and a negative answer 不去 (not going). For 你有吗？ (Do you have it?), use 有 (have) or 没有 (do not have). For 你会吗？ (Can you?), use 会 or 不会. The verb carries the answer, so there may be no need for a separate word equivalent to “yes.”

不 and 没 are not the same negative

不 (bù) commonly negates a present state, habit, intention or general action: 不去, 不知道, 不喜欢. 没 (méi) is common before 有 or when talking about a completed event that did not happen: 没有, 没去, 没吃. 不 and 没 both mean “not” in some contexts, but they are not freely interchangeable.

Casual sounds and polite replies

嗯 (èn or ń) can sound like a light “mm-hm,” but a single sound may feel casual or ambiguous in formal contexts. Complete answers such as 对, 好的, 可以, 不可以 or a repeated verb are clearer. In service settings, a polite negative may also add 不好意思 or an explanation.

How to answer a negative question

Chinese answers follow the fact of the response, not the English pattern of “yes/no” as a confirmation of the question. If someone asks 你不去吗？ (Aren’t you going?), 去 means you are going, while 不去 means you are not going. Listen to the question and answer with the verb rather than translating an English yes or no mechanically.

Pronunciation and written form

是 is shì, 对 is duì, 好 is hǎo, 可以 is kěyǐ, 不 is bù and 没 is méi. Tone changes occur in natural speech, especially with 不 in different environments. These answer words are common in both simplified and traditional writing, though surrounding characters may differ.

What not to do

Do not treat 是 as a universal “yes,” 不 as a universal “no,” or 没 as a casual substitute for every negative sentence. The safest method is to identify the verb in the question and answer with the matching positive or negative form.