The Four-character Construction 没A没B in Chinese
没A没B
没A没B is a productive four-character construction whose two slots can be nouns, verbs, or adjectives. It may literally deny two resources or events, or form a conventional evaluation such as 没大没小. Some expressions also emphasize uncontrolled continuity. The exact interpretation comes from the lexical pair and context.
Published July 31, 2026
Reviewed July 31, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
没 + A + 没 + B
Read the structure
没A没B is a productive four-character construction whose two slots can be nouns, verbs, or adjectives. It may literally deny two resources or events, or form a conventional evaluation such as 没大没小. Some expressions also emphasize uncontrolled continuity. The exact interpretation comes from the lexical pair and context. Keep the model 没 + A + 没 + B visible while you compare each sentence.
那时候我们没房没车。
At that time we had neither a home nor a car.
Choose the right context
Deny the presence of two parallel things or resources. Use an established evaluative expression such as 没大没小. Describe an unbroken state with conventional forms such as 没完没了.
他说话没大没小。
He speaks without proper respect for age or status.
Respect the boundary
Do not reverse 没 and either A or B slot. Do not assume every example is a literal double absence. Do not replace 没 with 不 without checking the resulting conventional meaning.
那时候我们没房车没。
(At that time we no home car no.)
Repair the pattern
The second 没 is placed after its slot: The frame requires 没 directly before both A and B. Both negators are stranded after the lexical slots: The established four-character construction keeps the order 没 + A + 没 + B.
那时候我们没房没车。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
那时候我们没房没车。
At that time we had neither a home nor a car.
那
没
This part occupies the 没 position in the model pattern.
时候
A
This part occupies the A position in the model pattern.
我们
没
This part occupies the 没 position in the model pattern.
没
B
This part occupies the B position in the model pattern.
房
没
This part occupies the 没 position in the model pattern.
没
A
This part occupies the A position in the model pattern.
车
没
This part occupies the 没 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
那时候我们没房没车。
At that time we had neither a home nor a car.
他说话没大没小。
He speaks without proper respect for age or status.
这场雨下得没完没了。
This rain seems endless.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Deny the presence of two parallel things or resources.
- Use an established evaluative expression such as 没大没小.
- Describe an unbroken state with conventional forms such as 没完没了.
Do not use it when
- Do not reverse 没 and either A or B slot.
- Do not assume every example is a literal double absence.
- Do not replace 没 with 不 without checking the resulting conventional meaning.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
那时候我们没房车没。
那时候我们没房没车。
The second 没 is placed after its slot
The frame requires 没 directly before both A and B.
他说话大没小没。
他说话没大没小。
Both negators are stranded after the lexical slots
The established four-character construction keeps the order 没 + A + 没 + B.
那时候我们没房车没。
The frame requires 没 directly before both A and B.
他说话大没小没。
The established four-character construction keeps the order 没 + A + 没 + B.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 没A没B.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 没A没B. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
The Four-character Construction 没A没B Questions
Does 没A没B always mean neither A nor B?
No. Some examples are literal, while conventional forms such as 没大没小 or 没完没了 have enriched meanings.
Is 没A没B the same as 不A不B?
No. Their forms are similar, but lexical combinations and meanings can differ sharply, as with 没大没小 and 不大不小.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 5 item 【五19】, PDF p. 225
Lists 没A没B as a Level 5 four-character fixed frame.
Official source基于“三一语法”的构式“没A没B”的教学研究
袁梦瑶 · 中国高校人文社会科学信息网 · 2025
Locator: PDF pp. 2–5, form, functions, and typical contexts
Describes noun, verb, and adjective slots plus literal absence, evaluative, and continuity readings.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
无A无BExhaustive Absence with 无A无B
Compare two negative four-character frames whose lexical choices, register, and conventional meanings differ.
Learn first
不/没不 (bù) vs 没 (méi): Negation
Review basic 没 selection before interpreting its repeated literal and lexicalized uses.
Compare
要X有/没X，要Y有/没Y要X有/没X，要Y有/没Y for Enumerating Qualities
Both repeat 没, but the evaluation frame lists demanded qualities rather than forming one four-character unit.
Compare
双重否定Emphatic Double Negation
Two occurrences of 没 do not automatically create an affirmative double-negation interpretation.
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Easy to confuse
Compare two negative four-character frames whose lexical choices, register, and conventional meanings differ.