How to say “don't understand” in Chinese with 不懂 (bù dǒng)

Verb + (bù dǒng)

Potential complement "-不懂 (bù dǒng)" for not understanding

HSK 2Complements

Rule structure

(dǒng) means "to understand." Adding the potential infix (de) or (bu) creates potential complements 看得懂 (kàn de dǒng) ("can understand by looking") and 看不懂 (kàn bù dǒng) ("can't understand by looking").

Examples

我听不懂。

Wǒ tīng bù dǒng.

I don't understand by listening.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Potential complement "-不懂 (bù dǒng)" for not understanding” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Verb + 不懂 (bù dǒng). For example: 我听不懂。 — “I don't understand by listening.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我听不懂。 — “I don't understand by listening.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.

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