<p>It basically just means no. 非 is no, 也 is just a modal.</p>

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2014-06-30T18:51:05.550Z
What is a modal?
ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq
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2014-06-30T18:55:55.440Z
its something thats doesnt have a meaning itself, like ah, eh in english, well, im not an english speaker, but i think it is like that.
bathpp
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2014-06-30T19:27:00.580Z
A modal refers to an expression of "mood" which is usually something subjective, so I don't think 也 should be called a modal. http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsMoodAndModality.htm The grammar of the phrase is from classical/old Chinese and is similar to how English speakers say "carpe diem" without having any clue of Latin grammar.
HAL
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2014-06-30T20:01:58.553Z
也 is not a [modal particle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_particle); rather, it is a [copula](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copula_(linguistics)) (similar to the word 'to be' in English or 是 in Modern Chinese) that appears at the end of a sentence in Classical Chinese. 非 means "not so", so 非也 as a whole means "it is not so".
Claw
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2014-06-30T18:50:29.113Z
2014-06-30T18:50:29.113Z
bathpp
<p>也 in "非也" does not mean "also".  It is a modal showing certainty.</p>

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2014-07-02T11:48:44.693Z
2014-07-02T11:48:44.693Z
Henry HO
<p><code>非也</code>sounds like <code>This is not so</code> or in some context it means<code>Not at all</code> in classical chinese.<br />
It is an elegant way of saying <code>not</code>.</p>

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2014-07-01T03:08:48.470Z
2014-07-01T03:08:48.470Z
meeming
<p>Is this XXX? 非也! It's YYY! = Is this XXX? NO! It's YYY!</p>

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2014-07-01T05:33:03.640Z
2014-07-01T05:33:03.640Z
Alex
<p>Just like other answers, I'd say it basically means "no" in Chinese, 
but just let you know this word is not popular nowadays. It is a word that used in ancient Chinese. Now it's just 不 for "no".</p>

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2014-07-01T04:01:30.703Z
2014-07-01T04:01:30.703Z
user5900
<p>非也，is a old chinese language. it's used long time ago. it mean "No"; </p>

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2015-02-15T02:38:55.957Z
Hi! Welcome to Chinese SE!
ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq
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2015-02-15T02:36:40.240Z
2015-02-15T02:36:40.240Z
user9418
<p>It could either means 'no' or 'neither'.</p>

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2014-08-02T10:26:53.200Z
2014-08-02T10:26:53.200Z
Steve Fan
<p>A phrase ending with 也 expresses certainty and short conclusion. 是也, 知也, 愛也, 未之有也. This phrase usually comes after another phrase, like question or statement. Say "不好犯上，而好作亂者，未之有也。"</p>

<p>非 means negative. 非也 can be translated to "No" or "Certainly not" when it is answering question.</p>

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2015-02-15T02:36:38.423Z
2015-02-15T02:36:38.423Z
OmniBus
<p>非也 literally means "not also". There's an implication that you've given more than one wrong answer in the recent past. OR literally "you should already know the answer to this question". Or in hip-hop slang, "you ain't know?"</p>

<p>非 - means 'not' or 'without'.
也 - isn't just simply a modal, it means "also" which literally implies a slight 'annoyance' with your question and while it is not generally used in big cities, it is still very much used in villages and the countryside (as I've watched it used on several current Chinese TV shows that center around village life within the past few years).</p>

<p>Sometimes Chinese slang really reminds me of so-called Ebonics in the west. There is a 'feigned annoyance' with your mates or buddies that is actually a tool for bonding.</p>

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2014-07-02T13:37:00.657Z
No, it doesn't mean or imply that. You're confusing the modal particle 也 in Classical Chinese with the modern adverb 也.
Semaphore
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2014-07-01T15:07:04.840Z
2014-07-01T15:07:04.840Z
BeetFarmer
<p>That's not the case.</p>
<p>非也 is a typical phrase to express negative in ancient Chinese (文言文）, especially used by those who consider themself highly educated so as to be different from the others (common people).</p>

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2022-09-06T02:19:37.040Z
2022-09-06T02:19:37.040Z
Li Wang
<p>也 is classified into 虚词 (lit. imaginary word) in classical Chinese. 虚词, unlike its counterpart of 实词 (lit. real word), doesn't have a meaning, but it's indispensable to some grammatical functions. It can:</p>
<ol>
<li>Express the mood</li>
<li>Complete a sentence structure.</li>
<li>Work as an interjection or preposition.</li>
<li>Work as a filler to make a sentence satisfy the requirement on the number of characters. This mainly happens to poems.</li>
</ol>
<p>也 is generally used at the end of a sentence to complete a declarative sentence, so in your case, 非也 means &quot;(it's) not (so)&quot;.</p>
<p>Generally you won't use this pattern today,  but you can use it in a funny way. As in English, you can say &quot;thy bidding, master&quot; :)</p>

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2014-07-01T00:38:06.843Z
2022-07-06T08:12:34.687Z
2022-07-06T08:12:34.687Z
Huang
<p>What does 非也 mean?</p>

<p>I heard the following:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Is this XXX? 非也! It's YYY!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Does it mean "Oh my god!" or something others?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-30T20:33:23.923Z
非也 is an expression in classical Chinese. It's like to say 'no' in Old English. It can be used in a modern Chinese dialogue to sound humorous, sarcastic or pedantic.
NS.X.
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2014-07-02T12:06:53.017Z
非也 is used a lot by one character 包不同 in Jin Yong's famous novel 天龙八部 [Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Gods_and_Semi-Devils)
lgylym
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2018-05-27T03:55:03.183Z
非也 is a negative statement, affirmative statement could be 然也.
sfy
<meaning><meaning-in-context>
What does 非也 mean?
# What does 非也 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-30)

What does 非也 mean?

I heard the following:

> Is this XXX? 非也! It's YYY!

Does it mean "Oh my god!" or something others?

**Tags:** meaning, meaning-in-context
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 非也 is an expression in classical Chinese. It's like to say 'no' in Old English. It can be used in a modern Chinese dialogue to sound humorous, sarcastic or pedantic.  
> **username_2**: 非也 is used a lot by one character 包不同 in Jin Yong's famous novel 天龙八部 [Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Gods_and_Semi-Devils)  
> **username_3**: 非也 is a negative statement, affirmative statement could be 然也.  

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## 11 answers

### Answer by username_17 on 2014-07-01. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

也 is classified into 虚词 (lit. imaginary word) in classical Chinese. 虚词, unlike its counterpart of 实词 (lit. real word), doesn't have a meaning, but it's indispensable to some grammatical functions. It can:

1. Express the mood
2. Complete a sentence structure.
3. Work as an interjection or preposition.
4. Work as a filler to make a sentence satisfy the requirement on the number of characters. This mainly happens to poems.

也 is generally used at the end of a sentence to complete a declarative sentence, so in your case, 非也 means "(it's) not (so)".

Generally you won't use this pattern today, but you can use it in a funny way. As in English, you can say "thy bidding, master" :)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-06-30. Score: 5

It basically just means no. 非 is no, 也 is just a modal.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What is a modal?  
> **username_4**: its something thats doesnt have a meaning itself, like ah, eh in english, well, im not an english speaker, but i think it is like that.  
> **username_5**: A modal refers to an expression of "mood" which is usually something subjective, so I don't think 也 should be called a modal. http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsMoodAndModality.htm The grammar of the phrase is from classical/old Chinese and is similar to how English speakers say "carpe diem" without having any clue of Latin grammar.  
> **username_6**: 也 is not a [modal particle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_particle); rather, it is a [copula](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copula_(linguistics)) (similar to the word 'to be' in English or 是 in Modern Chinese) that appears at the end of a sentence in Classical Chinese. 非 means "not so", so 非也 as a whole means "it is not so".  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2014-07-02. Score: 4

也 in "非也" does not mean "also". It is a modal showing certainty.


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### Answer by username_8 on 2014-07-01. Score: 4

`非也`sounds like `This is not so` or in some context it means`Not at all` in classical chinese.  
It is an elegant way of saying `not`.


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2014-07-01. Score: 3

Is this XXX? 非也! It's YYY! = Is this XXX? NO! It's YYY!


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### Answer by username_10 on 2014-07-01. Score: 3

Just like other answers, I'd say it basically means "no" in Chinese,
but just let you know this word is not popular nowadays. It is a word that used in ancient Chinese. Now it's just 不 for "no".


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2015-02-15. Score: 2

非也，is a old chinese language. it's used long time ago. it mean "No";

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Hi! Welcome to Chinese SE!  

---

### Answer by username_12 on 2014-08-02. Score: 2

It could either means 'no' or 'neither'.


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### Answer by username_13 on 2015-02-15. Score: 1

A phrase ending with 也 expresses certainty and short conclusion. 是也, 知也, 愛也, 未之有也. This phrase usually comes after another phrase, like question or statement. Say "不好犯上，而好作亂者，未之有也。"

非 means negative. 非也 can be translated to "No" or "Certainly not" when it is answering question.


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### Answer by username_14 on 2014-07-01. Score: 0

非也 literally means "not also". There's an implication that you've given more than one wrong answer in the recent past. OR literally "you should already know the answer to this question". Or in hip-hop slang, "you ain't know?"

非 - means 'not' or 'without'.
也 - isn't just simply a modal, it means "also" which literally implies a slight 'annoyance' with your question and while it is not generally used in big cities, it is still very much used in villages and the countryside (as I've watched it used on several current Chinese TV shows that center around village life within the past few years).

Sometimes Chinese slang really reminds me of so-called Ebonics in the west. There is a 'feigned annoyance' with your mates or buddies that is actually a tool for bonding.

> **Comments:**
> **username_15**: No, it doesn't mean or imply that. You're confusing the modal particle 也 in Classical Chinese with the modern adverb 也.  

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### Answer by username_16 on 2022-09-06. Score: 0

That's not the case.

非也 is a typical phrase to express negative in ancient Chinese (文言文）, especially used by those who consider themself highly educated so as to be different from the others (common people).


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