Decoded Slug: Absolute-negative structure 'không … gì'
Vietnamese Grammar Point
Absolute-negative structure 'không … gì'
Absolute-negative structure 'không … gì'
Short explanation:
Used to express the complete absence of something.
Formation:
không + (noun/verb) + gì
Examples:
Anh không có gì để mặc.
He has nothing to wear.
Chúng tôi không thể thấy gì trong bóng tối.
We can't see anything in the dark.
Tôi không biết gì về vấn đề này.
I don't know anything about this matter.
Anh ấy không nói gì với tôi.
He didn't say anything to me.
Long explanation:
The Vietnamese structure 'không … gì' is used to denote the utter absence or non-existence of something. In English, it is equivalent to 'nothing' or 'not any'. It implies a definite negation, hence, it is called an absolute-negative structure. It is often used when you want to express that there is nothing of a particular category or type, or that something does not exist at all.
