不 can convert two characters to a set phrase

不 can convert two characters to a set phrase

不 is usually used as a negative adverb in a sentence. It also has another very important use that it can form set phrases in the form of 不_不_(ABAC).

There are two cases for this use of 不

不 can convert a two-character compound to a set phrase

In this case, the two-character compounds are must be existing words and have fixed meanings, that is to say, you can find them in a dictionary.

尴尬 → 不尴不尬
言语 → 不言不语
明白 → 不明不白
上下 → 不上不下
阴阳 → 不阴不阳
知觉 → 不知不觉
骄躁 → 不骄不躁
理睬 → 不理不睬
偏倚 → 不偏不倚
痛痒 → 不痛不痒
声响 → 不声不响
日月 → 不日不月
聋哑→ 不聋不哑
文武 → 不文不武
折扣 → 不折不扣
男女 → 不男不女
慌忙 → 不慌不忙
古今 → 不古不今
茶饭 → 不茶不饭

You can see the two characters in each compound can be synonyms, antonyms or two words having closely related meanings.

不 can convert two characters that can be either a pair of synonyms or antonyms to a set phrase

In this case, the two characters are not an existing word, in other words, you can’t find them together as a word in a dictionary, for example, 轮类,管顾,识知,闻问,etc

伦,类 → 不伦不类
管,顾→ 不管不顾
识,知→ 不识不知
悱,发→ 不悱不发
愤,启→ 不愤不启
丰,杀→ 不丰不杀
卑,亢→ 不卑不亢
哼,哈→ 不哼不哈
即,离→ 不即不离
疾,徐→ 不疾不徐
依,饶→ 不依不饶
夷,惠→ 不夷不惠
吐,茹→ 不吐不茹
生,灭→ 不生不灭
偏,党→ 不偏不党
蔓,枝→ 不蔓不枝
愧,作→ 不愧不作
郎,秀→ 不郎不秀
稂,莠→ 不稂不莠
稼,穑→ 不稼不穑
破,立→ 不破不立
屈,挠→ 不屈不挠
三,四→ 不三不四

Check all these words for their pronunciations and meanings on 百度汉语, 百度翻译 or 汉典.

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