<p>As a complement to Tang Ho's answer, </p>

<p>我对养宠物没有兴趣. (I'm <strong>not interested in</strong> keeping a pet.)</p>

<p>养宠物没有意思. (Keeping a pet is <strong>not interesting</strong>. Or, Keeping a pet is <strong>not attractive</strong> to me.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-28T14:50:08.807Z
2018-02-28T14:50:08.807Z
pjhades
<p>In this context</p>

<ul>
<li><p>没有兴趣 means "has no interest"  or "not interested" (not something you like to do or care about)</p></li>
<li><p>没有意思 means "meaningless", if something is meaningless to you, it is a given that you are not interested in it.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>The implied meaning in the sentence "养宠物没有意思" is  "对我來説, 养宠物没有什么意思." (To me, keeping pet is meaningless)</p>

<p>Look at it the other way:</p>

<p>这玩意很<strong>有趣</strong> This stuff is very <strong>interesting</strong></p>

<p>我对这玩意<strong>很有兴趣</strong> I am <strong>very interested</strong> in this stuff</p>

<p>这玩意<strong>很有意思</strong> This stuff is <strong>very meaningful</strong> (therefore, your are <strong>interested</strong> in it)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>When to use one over the other?</em></p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>When you say "没有兴趣" (I am not interested), you are expressing your personal preference about a topic, e.g. 'you may not like fishing, but you are not saying fishing is boring' </p></li>
<li><p>When you say "没有意思" (meaningless to me), you are giving your low opinion on the topic, e.g. 'you really think fishing is waste of time'</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-28T04:20:48.923Z
2018-03-01T12:24:40.623Z
2018-03-01T12:24:40.623Z
Tang Ho
<p>我对养宠物没有兴趣.</p>

<p>养宠物没有意思.</p>

<p>When to use one over the other? Don't they mean the same thing?</p>

<p>兴趣 definition is </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Interest (directed towards, not inherent in something).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What does that even mean?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-01T22:10:02.170Z
RE: the definition - "Interest (directed towards [a thing], not inherent in something)" ... This means the speaker personally is not interested in "this thing/topic," but their lack of interest is not a comment on the intrinsic/inherent interest/value/qualities of "the thing/topic". ... It's the difference between saying "I don't personally have any interest in basketball," vs. "basketball [itself] is not interesting."
mc01
<difference>
Difference between 兴趣 vs 意思?
# Difference between 兴趣 vs 意思?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-28)

我对养宠物没有兴趣.

养宠物没有意思.

When to use one over the other? Don't they mean the same thing?

兴趣 definition is

> Interest (directed towards, not inherent in something).

What does that even mean?

**Tags:** difference
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: RE: the definition - "Interest (directed towards [a thing], not inherent in something)" ... This means the speaker personally is not interested in "this thing/topic," but their lack of interest is not a comment on the intrinsic/inherent interest/value/qualities of "the thing/topic". ... It's the difference between saying "I don't personally have any interest in basketball," vs. "basketball [itself] is not interesting."  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-02-28. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

In this context

* 没有兴趣 means "has no interest" or "not interested" (not something you like to do or care about)
* 没有意思 means "meaningless", if something is meaningless to you, it is a given that you are not interested in it.

The implied meaning in the sentence "养宠物没有意思" is "对我來説, 养宠物没有什么意思." (To me, keeping pet is meaningless)

Look at it the other way:

这玩意很**有趣** This stuff is very **interesting**

我对这玩意**很有兴趣** I am **very interested** in this stuff

这玩意**很有意思** This stuff is **very meaningful** (therefore, your are **interested** in it)

> *When to use one over the other?*

* When you say "没有兴趣" (I am not interested), you are expressing your personal preference about a topic, e.g. 'you may not like fishing, but you are not saying fishing is boring'
* When you say "没有意思" (meaningless to me), you are giving your low opinion on the topic, e.g. 'you really think fishing is waste of time'


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-02-28. Score: 2

As a complement to Tang Ho's answer,

我对养宠物没有兴趣. (I'm **not interested in** keeping a pet.)

养宠物没有意思. (Keeping a pet is **not interesting**. Or, Keeping a pet is **not attractive** to me.)


---

