lùyóuqì méiyǒu xìnhào.

Questions & Answers about lùyóuqì méiyǒu xìnhào.

What does 路由器 mean, and how is it used in everyday Chinese?

路由器 means router, usually an internet or Wi‑Fi router.

  • 路由 = routing
  • 器 = device / instrument

So the word is basically routing device.

In everyday speech, Chinese speakers do use 路由器, but in casual conversation some people may also just talk about the Wi‑Fi instead, depending on what they mean.

Example:

  • 路由器坏了。 = The router is broken.
  • 路由器没有信号。 = The router has no signal.
Why is 没有 used here instead of 不有?

In Mandarin, 没有 is the normal way to say do not have / there is no.

You generally cannot say 不有 in standard Mandarin to mean don’t have.

So:

  • 我没有钱。 = I don’t have money.
  • 这里没有人。 = There’s nobody here.
  • 路由器没有信号。 = The router has no signal.

A useful rule:

  • 不 is usually used for habits, general negation, or future actions.
  • 没 / 没有 is usually used for not have and for did not in the past.
Can I shorten 没有 to 没 in this sentence?

Yes. In spoken Chinese, 没 is very common and natural.

So these both work:

  • 路由器没有信号。
  • 路由器没信号。

The shorter version is especially common in conversation.

Why is there no 是 in this sentence?

Because 是 is not used to link a noun to a possession idea like have / has.

This sentence is not saying:

  • The router is signal

It is saying:

  • The router does not have signal

In Chinese, possession or existence is often expressed with 有 / 没有, not 是.

Compare:

  • 他是老师。 = He is a teacher.
  • 他有老师吗? = Does he have a teacher?

So in your sentence:

  • 路由器没有信号 = The router does not have signal
Why is the word order 路由器 没有 信号?

Chinese word order here is very similar to English:

  • 路由器 = subject
  • 没有 = does not have
  • 信号 = object

So literally:

  • router + does not have + signal

That is one reason this sentence is fairly easy for English speakers to understand.

What exactly does 信号 mean here?

信号 means signal.

In this sentence, it usually means the router is not receiving or giving a usable signal. Depending on context, it might refer to:

  • Wi‑Fi signal
  • internet signal
  • network signal
  • a general connection signal

Chinese often leaves this kind of detail to context.

For example:

  • 手机没有信号。 = My phone has no signal.
  • 这里信号不好。 = The signal is bad here.
Is 路由器没有信号 the most natural way to say this?

It is grammatical and understandable, but in real life the most natural sentence depends on what problem you mean.

Common alternatives include:

  • 路由器没信号。 = The router has no signal.
  • 没有网络。 = There’s no internet.
  • 没有网。 = No internet. / There’s no connection.
  • Wi‑Fi没了。 = The Wi‑Fi is gone.
  • 路由器断网了。 = The router lost internet connection.
  • 路由器坏了。 = The router is broken.

So your sentence is correct, but native speakers might choose a more specific wording if they know the exact problem.

Do I need a measure word before 信号?

No, not here.

In this sentence, 信号 is used as a general uncountable idea: signal.

So:

  • 没有信号 = no signal

If you wanted to count signals, then you might need a measure word in a different sentence, but that is not what is happening here.

How do I pronounce the sentence naturally?

The pinyin is:

Lùyóuqì méiyǒu xìnhào.

Tone by tone:

  • 路 = 4th tone (lù)
  • 由 = 2nd tone (yóu)
  • 器 = 4th tone (qì)
  • 没 = 2nd tone (méi)
  • 有 = 3rd tone (yǒu)
  • 信 = 4th tone (xìn)
  • 号 = 4th tone (hào)

A natural rhythm is:

  • Lùyóuqì / méiyǒu / xìnhào.

A couple of pronunciation notes:

  • q in qì sounds like a very light ch sound, but with the tongue positioned differently.
  • x in xìn is a soft sound, somewhat like sh but again with a different tongue position.
Can 没有 mean both doesn’t have and there isn’t?

Yes. 没有 is very flexible.

It can mean:

  1. not have
  2. there is no / there are no
  3. did not (with verbs in many past situations)

Examples:

  • 我没有车。 = I don’t have a car.
  • 这里没有人。 = There is nobody here.
  • 我昨天没有去。 = I didn’t go yesterday.

In your sentence, it means does not have:

  • 路由器没有信号。
Could I say 路由器不没有信号?

No. That would be incorrect.

You should say either:

  • 路由器没有信号。 = The router has no signal. or, if you want the opposite:
  • 路由器有信号。 = The router has signal.

Chinese does not normally stack 不 in front of 没有 like that.

Is this sentence talking about the present time only?

Usually yes, by default it describes the current situation:

  • 路由器没有信号。 = The router has no signal.

But Chinese often relies on context for time. If the context is past or future, the sentence can be understood differently.

For example:

  • 刚才路由器没有信号。 = Just now, the router had no signal.
  • 等一下如果路由器没有信号,我们就重启。 = If the router has no signal later, we’ll restart it.

So the sentence itself has no tense marking; time comes from context or extra words.

Can I add 了 at the end: 路由器没有信号了?

Yes, and that changes the feeling.

  • 路由器没有信号。 = The router has no signal.
    A plain statement.

  • 路由器没有信号了。 = The router has no signal now / The router lost signal.
    This often suggests a change of state.

So 了 can make it sound like:

  • it used to have signal, but now it doesn’t

That is very common in real conversation.

How would I turn this into a question?

A few common ways:

  • 路由器没有信号吗? = Does the router have no signal?
  • 路由器有没有信号? = Does the router have signal or not?
  • 路由器没信号吗? = Is the router out of signal?

The A-not-A pattern is especially common:

  • 有没有 = have or not have

So:

  • 路由器有没有信号? is a very natural way to ask.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“How do tones work in Chinese?”
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Chinese

Master Chinese — from lùyóuqì méiyǒu xìnhào to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions