Usage of the character 非

another name for Han Fei 韓非／韩非 ( Hán Fēi), Legalist philosopher (c. 280-233 BC)
Han Feizi, book of Legalist Philosophy authored by Han Fei 韓非／韩非 ( Hán Fēi) during the Warring States Period (475-220 BC)

fēixīyān

非吸烟

[非吸煙]

nonsmoking

fēidúlì

非独立

[非獨立]

dependent

fēibiāozhǔn

非标准

[非標準]

nonstandard
unconventional

fēitóngbù

非同步

[非同步]

asynchronous

fēigōngshì

非公式

[非公式]

unofficial; informal

luófēiyú

罗非鱼

[羅非魚]

tilapia

fēizōngjiào

非宗教

[非宗教]

secular (society)
non-religious (party)

fēizhíjiē

非直接

[非直接]

indirect

fēifēngzhí

非峰值

[非峰值]

off-peak

Nánfēichá

南非茶

[南非茶]

rooibos tea

fēidìtuī

非递推

[非遞推]

nonrecursive

fēicéngzhuàng

非层状

[非層狀]

unstratified

fēirénhuà

非人化

[非人化]

dehumanization

fēizìrán

非自然

[非自然]

unnatural
occult

fēizhǔliú

非主流

[非主流]

alternative
non-mainstream

fēizhèngfǔ

非政府

[非政府]

non-governmental

fēiguīzhěng

非规整

[非規整]

irregular; disordered

Fēizhōurén

非洲人

[非洲人]

African (person)

fēixiěshí

非写实

[非寫實]

nonrepresentational

fēiyùmóu

非预谋

[非預謀]

unpremeditated

fēicéngyán

非层岩

[非層巖]

unstratified rock

fēidǎotǐ

非导体

[非導體]

nonconductor (of electricity, heat etc)

fēixiǎoshuō

非小说

[非小說]

non-fiction

fēichángduō

非常多

[非常多]

much
very many

fēizhèngshì

非正式

[非正式]

unofficial; informal

fēiyínglì

非营利

[非營利]

nonprofit
not for profit

Fēiguódà

非国大

[非國大]

African National Congress, ANC
abbr. for 非洲人國民大會／非洲人国民大会 ( Fēizhōurénguómíndàhuì)

fēizhèngshù

非正数

[非正數]

a nonpositive number (i.e. negative or zero)

Lǐ Géfēi

李格非

[李格非]

Li Gefei (active c. 1090), Northern Song writer and father of southern Song female poet Li Qingzhao 李清照

fēitóngfánxiǎng

非同凡响

[非同凡響]

out of the ordinary

sǐyúfēimìng

死于非命

[死於非命]

violent death (idiom); to die in a disaster
an unnatural death

rěshìshēngfēi

惹是生非

[惹是生非]

to stir up trouble

fēicǐjíbǐ

非此即彼

[非此即彼]

either this or that
one or the other

rěshìshēngfēi

惹事生非

[惹事生非]

variant of 惹是生非 (rěshìshēngfēi)

xiǎngrùfēifēi

想入非非

[想入非非]

to indulge in fantasy (idiom); to let one's imagination run wild

tíxiàojiēfēi

啼笑皆非

[啼笑皆非]

lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom)
between laughter and tears

fēihédìdài

非核地带

[非核地帶]

nuclear-free zone

fēifènzhīniàn

非分之念

[非分之念]

improper idea

wúshìshēngfēi

无事生非

[無事生非]

to make trouble out of nothing

qídàfēi'ǒu

齐大非偶

[齊大非偶]

too rich to be a good match (in marriage) (idiom)

xúnshìshēngfēi

寻事生非

[尋事生非]

to look for trouble

xīdìnàfēi

西地那非

[西地那非]

sildenafil (virility drug) (loanword)

fēifùzéguì

非富则贵

[非富則貴]

see 非富即貴／非富即贵 (fēifùjíguì)

hùnxiáoshìfēi

混淆是非

[混淆是非]

to confuse right and wrong (idiom)

miànmùquánfēi

面目全非

[面目全非]

nothing remains the same (idiom); change beyond recognition

qíngfēidéyǐ

情非得已

[情非得已]

compelled by the circumstances (to do sth)
(have) no other choice (but do sth)
(used as a pun in romance) can't help but fall in love

tiǎobōshìfēi

挑拨是非

[挑撥是非]

to incite a quarrel (idiom); to sow discord between people
to tell tales
to make mischief

Sūfēizhǔyì

苏非主义

[蘇非主義]

Sufism (Islamic mystic tradition)

tònggǎiqiánfēi

痛改前非

[痛改前非]

completely correcting one's former misdeeds (idiom); to repent past mistakes and turn over a new leaf
a reformed character

sìdǒngfēidǒng

似懂非懂

[似懂非懂]

to not really understand
to half-understand

Fēisǐbùkě

非死不可

[非死不可]

Facebook (Internet slang, pun reading "you must die")

bùshìfēijì

布氏非鲫

[布氏非鯽]

zebra tilapia
Tilapia buttikoferi (zoology)

Shèngsuǒfēiyà

圣索非亚

[聖索非亞]

Hagia Sophia (Greek: Holy wisdom)

liáoshìshēngfēi

撩是生非

[撩是生非]

to stir up trouble
to provoke angry exchange

fēichǔfāngyào

非处方药

[非處方藥]

over-the-counter drug

dáfēisuǒwèn

答非所问

[答非所問]

(idiom) to sidestep the question
to answer evasively

fēijīyāxìng

非羁押性

[非羈押性]

noncustodial (sentence)

shìfēimòbiàn

是非莫辨

[是非莫辨]

unable to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

qídàfēi'ǒu

齐大非耦

[齊大非耦]

variant of 齊大非偶／齐大非偶 (qídàfēi'ǒu)

Fēizhōu Liánméng

非洲联盟

[非洲聯盟]

African Union

suǒyánfēixū

所言非虚

[所言非虛]

(after a pronoun or name) what (you, they etc) say is true

wúkěhòufēi

无可厚非

[無可厚非]

see 未可厚非 (wèikěhòufēi)

fēilüfēimǎ

非驴非马

[非驢非馬]

neither fish nor fowl
resembling nothing on earth

Fēilìshìrén

非利士人

[非利士人]

the Philistines, who settled on the southern coast of Palestine in the 12th century BC

Fēizhōu Zhījiǎo

非洲之角

[非洲之角]

Horn of Africa

fēichéngwùrǎo

非诚勿扰

[非誠勿擾]

serious inquiries only

shìfēibùfēn

是非不分

[是非不分]

unable to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

fēi'ōujǐhé

非欧几何

[非歐幾何]

non-Euclidean geometry

sìxiàofēixiào

似笑非笑

[似笑非笑]

like a smile yet not a smile (idiom)

diāndǎoshìfēi

颠倒是非

[顛倒是非]

to invert right and wrong

shìfēiqūzhí

是非曲直

[是非曲直]

lit. right and wrong, crooked and straight (idiom); fig. merits and demerits
pros and cons

ānfēitāmìng

安非他命

[安非他命]

amphetamine (medical) (loanword)

fēihéguójiā

非核国家

[非核國家]

non-nuclear country

jīfēichéngshì

积非成是

[積非成是]

a wrong repeated becomes right (idiom); a lie or an error passed on for a long time may be taken for the truth

jīnfēixībǐ

今非昔比

[今非昔比]

(idiom) things are very different now; times have changed

sìshì'érfēi

似是而非

[似是而非]

apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom)

fēinǐmòshǔ

非你莫属

[非你莫屬]

it's yours exclusively (idiom)
you are the one
only you deserve it
only you can do it

mòdáfēiní

莫达非尼

[莫達非尼]

modafinil (loanword)

fēifùjíguì

非富即贵

[非富即貴]

wealthy and respectable people

Sàfēi Wángcháo

萨非王朝

[薩非王朝]

Persian Safavid Dynasty 1501-1722

fēidòngwùxìng

非动物性

[非動物性]

inanimacy

kǒushìxīnfēi

口是心非

[口是心非]

duplicity
hypocrisy (idiom)

míngbiànshìfēi

明辨是非

[明辨是非]

to distinguish right and wrong (idiom)

fēijīdòngchē

非机动车

[非機動車]

non-motorized vehicle

fēihēijíbái

非黑即白

[非黑即白]

black-or-white (e.g. good or bad, with no middle ground)

húzuòfēiwéi

胡作非为

[胡作非為]

to run amok (idiom); to commit outrages

fēichánggǎnxiè

非常感谢

[非常感謝]

extremely grateful; very thankful

fēiyìrénrèn

非异人任

[非異人任]

to bear one's own responsibilities and not pass them to others (idiom)

shìfēifēnmíng

是非分明

[是非分明]

to distinguish right from wrong (idiom)

sǎohuángdǎfēi

扫黄打非

[掃黃打非]

to eradicate pornography and illegal publications

fēijūnshìqū

非军事区

[非軍事區]

demilitarized zone

wúkěfēiyì

无可非议

[無可非議]

irreproachable (idiom)
nothing blameworthy about it at all

fēi'ābèi'ěr

非阿贝尔

[非阿貝爾]

(math.) non-abelian

Fēilìshìdì

非利士地

[非利士地]

Philistia, aka the Land of the Philistines

fēiqīnfēigù

非亲非故

[非親非故]

lit. neither a relative nor a friend (idiom)
fig. unrelated to one another in any way

fēidūhuìjùn

非都会郡

[非都會郡]

non-metropolitan county (England)

yuǎnfēirúcǐ

远非如此

[遠非如此]

far from it being so (idiom)

wùshìrénfēi

物是人非

[物是人非]

things have remained the same, but people have changed

shìfēizhīdì

是非之地

[是非之地]

trouble spot
sketchy area

fēigànggǎnhuà

非杠杆化

[非槓桿化]

deleveraging (i.e. paying off part of a leverage loan)

Afēilìjiā

阿非利加

[阿非利加]

Africa

bānnòngshìfēi

搬弄是非

[搬弄是非]

to incite a quarrel (idiom); to sow discord between people
to tell tales
to make mischief

fēidǎngrénshì

非党人士

[非黨人士]

non-party member

fēitóngxiǎokě

非同小可

[非同小可]

extremely important
no small matter

wénguòshìfēi

文过饰非

[文過飾非]

(idiom) to cover up one's faults; to whitewash

ānfēitāmíng

安非他明

[安非他明]

amphetamine (loanword)

fēipínghéngtài

非平衡态

[非平衡態]

unbalance
disequilibrium

wèikěhòufēi

未可厚非

[未可厚非]

not to be censured too strictly (idiom)
not altogether inexcusable
understandable

cǐyánfēixū

此言非虚

[此言非虛]

that is true

wéifēizuòdǎi

为非作歹

[為非作歹]

to break the law and commit crimes (idiom); malefactor
evildoer
to perpetrate outrages

fēichángshǒuduàn

非常手段

[非常手段]

an emergency measure

Fēizhōu Dà Liègǔ

非洲大裂谷

[非洲大裂谷]

East African Rift Valley

fēizhèngfǔzǔzhī

非政府组织

[非政府組織]

non-governmental organization (NGO)

jīnqiánfēiwànnéng

金钱非万能

[金錢非萬能]

money is not omnipotent
money isn't everything
money can't buy you love

fēiyínglìzǔzhī

非盈利组织

[非盈利組織]

nonprofit organization

fēidiǎnxíngfèiyán

非典型肺炎

[非典型肺炎]

atypical pneumonia
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SARS

fēiyínglìzǔzhī

非赢利组织

[非贏利組織]

not-for-profit organization

fēiyínglìzǔzhī

非营利组织

[非營利組織]

nonprofit organization

fēitiáojiànfǎnshè

非条件反射

[非條件反射]

unconditioned reflex (physiology)

fēiyīrìzhīgōng

非一日之功

[非一日之功]

lit. cannot be done in one day (idiom)
fig. will take much time and effort to accomplish

Fēizhōuzhuīchóngbìng

非洲锥虫病

[非洲錐蟲病]

sleeping sickness
African trypanosomiasis

Dōng Fēidàdìqiàn

东非大地堑

[東非大地塹]

Great East African rift valley

fēi'ōujǐhéxué

非欧几何学

[非歐幾何學]

non-Euclidean geometry

fēixiāngduìlùnxìng

非相对论性

[非相對論性]

non-relativistic (physics)

fēixiànxìngguāngxué

非线性光学

[非線性光學]

nonlinear optics (physics)

Zhōng Fēi Gònghéguó

中非共和国

[中非共和國]

Central African Republic

fēi Lādīngzìfú

非拉丁字符

[非拉丁字符]

non-Latin characters

Dōng Fēi Gòngtóngtǐ

东非共同体

[東非共同體]

East African Community

Afēilìjiā Zhōu

阿非利加洲

[阿非利加洲]

Africa (abbr. to 非洲 ( Fēizhōu))

Fēizhōudānyuánshuō

非洲单源说

[非洲單源說]

single origin out of Africa (current mainstream theory of human evolution)

fēihūnshēngzǐnü

非婚生子女

[非婚生子女]

an illegitimate child

Dōng Fēi Dà Liègǔ

东非大裂谷

[東非大裂谷]

East African Rift Valley

fēiyíchuánduōxíngxìng

非遗传多型性

[非遺傳多型性]

polyphenism

fēicíchóngfùcèyàn

非词重复测验

[非詞重復測驗]

nonword repetition test

jiǎjī'ānfēitāmìng

甲基安非他命

[甲基安非他命]

methamphetamine

fēidòngwùxìngmíngcí

非动物性名词

[非動物性名詞]

inanimate noun

fēitóngzhìhuàdàibì

非同质化代币

[非同質化代幣]

non-fungible token (NFT)

fēihéwǔqìguójiā

非核武器国家

[非核武器國家]

non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS)

fēiguójiāxíngwéitǐ

非国家行为体

[非國家行為體]

non-state actor

shìfēizìyǒugōnglùn

是非自有公论

[是非自有公論]

to determine right and wrong based on public opinion (idiom)
Public opinion will judge what's right and wrong.

Fēizhōu Tǒngyī Zǔzhī

非洲统一组织

[非洲統一組織]

Organization of African Unity

Fēizhōu Kāifā Yínháng

非洲开发银行

[非洲開發銀行]

African Development Bank

Fēizhōurénguómíndàhuì

非洲人国民大会

[非洲人國民大會]

African National Congress, ANC

bùdào Chángchéngfēihǎohàn

不到长城非好汉

[不到長城非好漢]

lit. until you reach the Great Wall, you're not a proper person; fig. to get over difficulties before reaching the goal

Sāhālāyǐnán Fēizhōu

撒哈拉以南非洲

[撒哈拉以南非洲]

sub-Saharan Africa

fēitóngbùchuánshūmóshì

非同步传输模式

[非同步傳輸模式]

asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)

yǒuchóubùbàofēijūnzǐ

有仇不报非君子

[有仇不報非君子]

a real man, if he takes a hit, will seek to even the score (idiom)

lái'érbùwǎngfēilǐyě

来而不往非礼也

[來而不往非禮也]

not to reciprocate is against etiquette (classical)
to respond in kind

Fēiwùzhì Wénhuà Yíchǎn

非物质文化遗产

[非物質文化遺產]

(UNESCO) Intangible Cultural Heritage

Shèngsuǒfēiyà Dàjiàotáng

圣索非亚大教堂

[聖索非亞大教堂]

Hagia Sophia (the main cathedral of Constantinople, subsequently the major mosque of Istanbul)

sàiwēngshīmǎyānzhīfēifú

塞翁失马焉知非福

[塞翁失馬焉知非福]

the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

sàiwēngshīmǎ'ānzhīfēifú

塞翁失马安知非福

[塞翁失馬安知非福]

the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best (idiom); fig. a blessing in disguise
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
also written 塞翁失馬焉知非福／塞翁失马焉知非福

Lúndūn Dàxué Yà Fēi Xuéyuàn

伦敦大学亚非学院

[倫敦大學亞非學院]

London University School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

fēiduìchènshìshùjùyònghùxiàn

非对称式数据用户线

[非對稱式數據用戶線]

Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
ADSL

bīngdòngsānchǐ,fēiyīrìzhīhán

冰冻三尺，非一日之寒

[冰凍三尺，非一日之寒]

three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day

wúshìxiànyīnqín,fēijiānjídào

无事献殷勤，非奸即盗

[無事獻殷勤，非姦即盜]

one who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions (idiom)

ruòyàorénbùzhī,chúfēijǐmòwéi

若要人不知，除非己莫为

[若要人不知，除非己莫為]

If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it (idiom). fig. If you do something bad, people will inevitably hear about it.

rénfēishēng'érzhīzhīzhě,shúnéngwúhuò

人非生而知之者，孰能无惑

[人非生而知之者，孰能無惑]

Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?
We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity? (i.e. without guidance from a teacher - Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韓愈／韩愈 ( Hán Yù))

yǒuchóubùbàofēijūnzǐ,yǒuyuānbùshēnwǎngwéirén

有仇不报非君子，有冤不伸枉为人

[有仇不報非君子，有冤不伸枉為人]

one who doesn't avenge an injustice is not a gentleman, one who doesn't redress a wrong is not a man (idiom)