| 功高不赏 | gōng gāo bù shǎng | high merit that one can never repay (idiom); invaluable achievements |
| 动弹不得 | dòng tan bu dé | to be unable to move a single step |
| 动词不定式 | dòng cí bù dìng shì | infinitive |
胜不骄，
败不馁 | shèng bù jiāo ,
bài bù něi | no arrogance in victory, no despair in defeat |
| 势不可当 | shì bù kě dāng | impossible to resist (idiom); an irresistible force |
| 勤则不匮 | qín zé bù kuì | if one is industrious, one will not be in want (idiom) |
| 勤劳不虞匮乏 | qín láo bù yú kuì fá | poverty is a stranger to industry (idiom) |
| 半明不灭 | bàn míng bù miè | a poor light but nevertheless inextinguishable (idiom) |
| 半身不遂 | bàn shēn bù suì | paralysis of one side of the body; hemiplegia |
| 半通不通 | bàn tōng bù tōng | to not fully understand (idiom) |
| 半间不界 | bàn gān bù gà | shallow; not thorough; superficial |
| 卑不足道 | bēi bù zú dào | not worth mentioning |
| 卑卑不足道 | bēi bēi bù zú dào | to be too petty or insignificant to mention; to not be worth mentioning (idiom) |
| 卓乎不群 | zhuó hū bù qún | standing out from the common crowd (idiom); outstanding; preeminent |
| 卓尔不群 | zhuó ěr bù qún | standing above the common crowd (idiom); outstanding; excellent and unrivaled |
| 博而不精 | bó ér bù jīng | extensive but not refined (idiom); to know something about everything; Jack of all trades and master of none. |
| 危而不持 | wēi ér bù chí | national danger, but no support (idiom, from Analects); the future of the nation is at stake but no-one comes to the rescue |
| 却之不恭 | què zhī bù gōng | to refuse would be impolite |
| 去向不明 | qù xiàng bù míng | missing; lost |
| 口不应心 | kǒu bù yìng xīn | to say one thing but mean another; to dissimulate |
| 口齿不清 | kǒu chǐ bù qīng | to lisp; unclear articulation; inarticulate |
| 只不过 | zhǐ bu guò | only; merely; nothing but; no more than |
| 只不过几年前 | zhǐ bù guò jǐ nián qián | only a few years ago; just a few years ago |
只可意会，
不可言传 | zhǐ kě yì huì ,
bù kě yán chuán | can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子); mysterious and subtle |
| 只字不提 | zhǐ zì bù tí | not to mention (idiom); to say not one word; fig. to omit mention (of a non-person or embarrassing topic); to censor |
只知其一，
不知其二 | zhǐ zhī qí yī ,
bù zhī qí èr | to know the first, but not know the second (idiom); only partial information |
| 只见树木不见森林 | zhǐ jiàn shù mù bù jiàn sēn lín | unable to see the wood for the trees; fig. only able to see isolated details, and not the bigger picture |
只许州官放火，
不许百姓点灯 | zhǐ xǔ zhōu guān fàng huǒ ,
bù xǔ bǎi xìng diǎn dēng | only the official is allowed to light the fire; Gods may do what cattle may not; quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi |
| 叫苦不迭 | jiào kǔ bu dié | to complain without stopping (idiom); to bitch endlessly; incessant grievances |
可以意会，
不可言传 | kě yǐ yì huì ,
bù kě yán chuán | can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 庄子); mysterious and subtle |
| 可望而不可即 | kě wàng ér bù kě jí | unattainable |
| 可望而不可及 | kě wàng ér bù kě jí | unattainable |
| 吃不了兜着走 | chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu | lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom); fig. you'll have to take the consequences |
| 吃不住 | chī bu zhù | be unable to bear or support |
| 吃不来 | chī bu lái | not be fond of certain food |
| 吃不服 | chī bu fú | not be accustomed to eating sth; not be used to certain food |
| 吃力不讨好 | chī lì bù tǎo hǎo | arduous and thankless task (idiom); strenuous and unrewarding |
| 各不相同 | gè bù xiāng tóng | to have nothing in common with each other (idiom) |
| 合不来 | hé bù lái | unable to get along together; incompatible |
| 名不副实 | míng bù fù shí | the name does not reflect the reality (idiom); more in name than in fact; Reality does not live up to the name.; Excellent theory, but the practice does not bear it out. |
| 名不正言不顺 | míng bu zhèng yán bu shùn | unjustified and undeserving of such description; identity or status is unverified, or inconsistent in detail; unworthy of the title (or name), or reputation; no valid reason as justification; words without weight; cf 名正言顺 |
| 名不符实 | míng bù fú shí | the name does not correspond to reality (idiom); it doesn't live up to its reputation |
| 名不虚传 | míng bù xū chuán | lit. name is not in vain (idiom); a fully justified reputation; enjoys a well-deserved reputation |
| 君子动口不动手 | jūn zǐ dòng kǒu bù dòng shǒu | a gentleman uses his mouth and not his fist |
| 吕不韦 | Lǚ Bù wéi | Lü Buwei (?291-235 BC), merchant and politician of the State of Qin 秦国, subsequent Qin Dynasty 秦代 Chancellor, allegedly the father of Ying Zhen 嬴政, who subsequently became the first emperor Qin Shihuang 秦始皇 |
| 命不久已 | mìng bù jiǔ yǐ | at death's door |
| 咬人狗儿不露齿 | yǎo rén gǒur bù lù chǐ | the dog that bites does not show its fangs (saying); fig. You can't tell the really dangerous enemy from his external appearance. |
| 哀而不伤 | āi ér bù shāng | deeply felt but not mawkish (idiom) |
| 哪壶不开提哪壶 | nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú | lit. mention the pot that doesn't boil (common saying); to touch a sore spot; to talk about sb's weak point |
| 哭笑不得 | kū xiào bù dé | lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom); both funny and extremely embarrassing; in a desperate state; between laughter and tears |
