HSK 7-9
爱A不A
ài A bù A
Love it or leave it; do as you please with A
Structure
Verb + 不 + Verb / Adjective + 不 + Adjective
How it works
This structure is used to express an attitude of indifference or nonchalance regarding another person's choice or opinion. It implies that the speaker does not care whether the listener performs the action or not, often carrying a tone of defiance or impatience.
Examples
这是我能给出的最高价格了，你爱买不买。
Zhè shì wǒ néng gěichū de zuìgāo jiàgé le, nǐ ài mǎi bù mǎi.
This is the highest price I can offer; take it or leave it.
真相就在这里，你爱信不信。
Zhēnxiàng jiù zài zhèlǐ, nǐ ài xìn bù xìn.
The truth is right here; believe it or not.
他这人性格就这样，你爱理不理随你便。
Tā zhè rén xìnggé jiù zhèyàng, nǐ ài lǐ bù lǐ suí nǐ biàn.
That's just his personality; whether you pay attention to him or not is up to you.
Common mistakes
Do not use this with complex multi-character verbs; it is almost exclusively used with monosyllabic verbs or adjectives like 买 (buy), 吃 (eat), 信 (believe), or 理 (pay attention).
Tip
Be careful with your tone when using this expression, as it is quite colloquial and can sound dismissive or rude if used with superiors.
More HSK 7-9 grammar
See 爱A不A in real Chinese
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