不為 [－为]

Jyutping bat1 wai4
Pinyin bù wéi

Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. verb, literary
    to not do
Examples (Tatoeba—Mandarin-English)
  1. Mandarin
    宁为猫头不为狮尾。
    寧為貓頭不為獅尾。
    níng wèi māo tóu bù wèi shī wěi 。
    • Better be the head of a cat than the tail of a lion.
  2. Mandarin
    我们再怎么认真管理核电站也不为过。
    我們再怎麼認真管理核電站也不為過。
    wǒ men zài zěn me rèn zhēn guǎn lǐ hé diàn zhàn yě bù wéi guò 。
    • We can not be too careful in operating a nuclear power plant.
  3. Mandarin
    读再多的书也不为过
    讀再多的書也不為過
    dú zài duō de shū yě bù wéi guò
    • You can't read too many books.
  4. Mandarin
    赚再多的钱也不为过
    賺再多的錢也不為過
    zhuàn zài duō de qián yě bù wéi guò
    • One can't earn too much money.
  5. Mandarin
    喝再多的水也不为过
    喝再多的水也不為過
    hē zài duō de shuǐ yě bù wéi guò
    • Drinking more water won't do you any harm.
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    不为所动
    不為所動
    bat1 wai4 so2 dung6
    • unmoved
  2. Cantonese
    不为人知嘅故事
    不為人知嘅故事
    bat1 wai4 jan4 zi1 ge3 gu3 si6
    • untold stories
  3. Cantonese
    佢俾人绑架，带咗去不为人知嘅地方。
    佢俾人綁架，帶咗去不為人知嘅地方。
    keoi5 bei2 jan4 bong2 gaa3, daai3 zo2 heoi3 bat1 wai4 jan4 zi1 ge3 dei6 fong1.
    • He was kidnapped and brought to an unknown place.
  4. Cantonese
    力不到不为财
    力不到不為財
    lik6 bat1 dou3 bat1 wai4 coi4
    • if you don't put in effort, you won't get money; "no pain, no gain" (of money matters)
  5. Cantonese
    参加义工活动，可以帮到人，又有益身心，何乐而不为呢？
    參加義工活動，可以幫到人，又有益身心，何樂而不為呢？
    caam1 gaa1 ji6 gung1 wut6 dung6, ho2 ji5 bong1 dou2 jan4, jau6 jau5 jik1 sat1 sam1, ho4 lok6 ji4 bat1 wai4 le1
    • Volunteering not only helps others, it can be good for my mind and body too! So... why not?
Examples (None)
  1. Cantonese
    一为神功，二为弟子，帮到人又帮到自己，何乐而不为呢？
    一為神功，二為弟子，幫到人又幫到自己，何樂而不為呢？
    jat1 wai6 san4 gung1, ji6 wai6 dai6 zi2, bong1 dou2 jan4 jau6 bong1 dou2 zi6 gei2, ho4 lok6 ji4 bat1 wai4 ne1?
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    勿以善小而不为
    勿以善小而不為
    wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi
    • do not fail to commit a good act just because it is small in scale.
  2. Mandarin
    钟爱于男女，素期效死，夫亦不蔽也。大凡以断割不为丽色所汩，岂若是乎？
    鍾愛於男女，素期效死，夫亦不蔽也。大凡以斷割不為麗色所汩，豈若是乎？
    Ｚｈōｎｇàｉ yú nán nǚ ， sù qī xiào sǐ ， fū yì bù bì yě ． dà fán yǐ duàn gē bù wèi lì sè suǒ gǔ ， qǐ ruò shì hū ？
    • X
  3. Mandarin
    不为社会所接受
    不為社會所接受
    bù wéi shè huì suǒ jiē shòu
    • to not be accepted by society
  4. Mandarin
    不为五斗米折腰
    不為五斗米折腰
    bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāo
    • don't bow down for the sake of five pecks (or decalitres) of rice
  5. Mandarin
    这样，重工业是不是不为主了？它还是为主，还是投资的重点。
    這樣，重工業是不是不為主了？它還是為主，還是投資的重點。
    zhè yàng ， zhòng gōng yè shì bù shì bù wéi zhǔ le ？ tā hái shì wéi zhǔ ， hái shì tóu zī de zhòng diǎn ．
    • Does this mean that heavy industry is no longer primary? No. It still is, it still claims the emphasis in our investment.