ELONIO
Log inSign up

Jīntiān yínháng ménkǒu méi shénme rén.

今天Jīntiān　银行yínháng　门口ménkǒu　没méi　什么shénme　人rén。Jīntiān yínháng ménkǒu méi shénme rén.
There aren’t many people at the bank entrance today.
FromLesson 9inHardcore Chinese

Questions & Answers about Jīntiān yínháng ménkǒu méi shénme rén.

Why is it 没 and not 不?

Use 没/没有 to negate existence or past/realized situations, and to negate 有. 不有 is not grammatical.

  • 银行门口有很多人。= There are many people at the entrance.
  • 银行门口没有/没很多人。/ 银行门口没什么人。= There aren’t many people.
Where did 有 go? Shouldn’t it be 没有?
没 here is the common short form of 没有. 今天银行门口没什么人 = 今天银行门口没有什么人. In affirmative sentences you cannot drop 有 (e.g., 银行门口有很多人).
Why is there no 在 before 银行门口?
In existential sentences, the place phrase can directly precede the predicate: [Place] + (没/没有) + [NP]. So 今天银行门口没什么人 is natural. You can also say 今天在银行门口没什么人, but the version without 在 is very common. Use 在 when locating a specific subject: 我在银行门口。
What does 什么 mean here? Isn’t it a question word?

Under negation, 什么 acts like an “any”-word (a negative polarity item). 没什么人 literally “not any people,” idiomatically “hardly anyone / not many people.” Common patterns:

  • 没/没有 + 什么 + N: 没什么事, 没什么人
  • 什么 + 都/也 + 不/没: 什么都没有, 什么也看不见
How strong is 没什么人 compared with similar phrases?

Strength from mild to strong (roughly):

  • 人不多 = not many (neutral, mild)
  • 没什么人 = hardly anyone / not many (a bit stronger)
  • 人很少 = very few people
  • 没几个人 = only a few people (stronger emphasis on small number)
  • 几乎没有人 = almost nobody (very strong)
  • 没有人 = nobody at all (absolute)
Should it be 银行的门口 instead of 银行门口?
Both are possible. 银行门口 is a tight noun–noun compound that’s very idiomatic for places (学校门口, 公司门口). 银行的门口 also works, with a slightly more “possessive” feel.
Why isn’t there a sentence-final 了 to show past time?
Chinese doesn’t require a past marker. 今天 already sets the time frame. Adding sentence-final 了 would express a change of state, e.g., 今天银行门口没什么人了 = “there aren’t many people anymore (now),” implying contrast with before.
What’s the preferred word order for time and place? Can 今天 go later?

Typical order: Time > Place > Predicate.

  • Default: 今天银行门口没什么人。
  • Also fine: 银行门口今天没什么人。 (slightly different focus)
  • Odd: 银行门口没什么人今天。
Why is there no measure word with 人? Doesn’t Chinese need 个?

Measure words are needed with numerals and many determiners, but 什么人 is not counting; it’s an indefinite “what/any kind of people,” so no measure word. If you quantify, you add one:

  • 没有几个人
  • 有三个人
  • Not: 什么个人
Can I say the same idea in other natural ways?

Yes, common alternatives:

  • 今天银行门口人不多。
  • 今天银行门口人很少。
  • 今天银行门口没几个人。
  • 今天银行门口几乎没有人。 Each varies in strength (see the scale above).
Is 门口 the same as 入口 or 门外/门前?
  • 门口: the doorway/entrance area (often where people wait or gather).
  • 入口: the entry point (as on signs; the designated entrance).
  • 门外: outside the door.
  • 门前: in front of the door/front area. So 银行门口 ≈ at the bank’s entrance area; 银行入口 is the official entry point; 银行门外 stresses outside; 银行门前 is the area in front.
Is this a topic–comment sentence?
Yes. 今天银行门口 sets the topic (time + place), and the comment is 没什么人. It corresponds to “As for the bank entrance today, (there) weren’t many people.”
Can I rephrase as 今天没有人在银行门口? Any difference?
Yes. 今天银行门口没有人/没什么人 foregrounds the location. 今天没有人在银行门口 foregrounds the absence of people, then specifies the location. Both are grammatical; the focus shifts slightly.
Pronunciation and tones?
  • 今天 jīntiān (1–1)
  • 银行 yínháng (2–2)
  • 门口 ménkǒu (2–3)
  • 没 méi (2)
  • 什么 shénme (2 + neutral; the 么 is neutral tone)
  • 人 rén (2) No third-tone sandhi is triggered here because there aren’t adjacent third tones that require it.
Why don’t we use 是?

是 links equivalents (X is Y); it doesn’t express existence/quantity at a place. For existence, use 有/没有 or the 没什么 + N pattern:

  • ✔ 银行门口没有人。/ 银行门口没什么人。
  • ✘ 银行门口不是人。(This would mean “The bank entrance is not a person,” which is nonsensical here.)
Is 今天 required? What happens if we drop it?
It’s optional. 银行门口没什么人 then describes the current or general situation; context supplies the time. Add a time word like 今天/刚才/早上 if you want to anchor it more clearly.
Can I use 不怎么 to mean “not very,” e.g., 银行门口不怎么有人?

Colloquially you might hear 不怎么有人, but more standard and natural are:

  • 银行门口人不多。
  • 银行门口没什么人。 Use 不怎么 mainly with adjectives/adverbs or with verbs:
  • 不怎么好 (not very good)
  • 这里不怎么来人 (people don’t really come here)
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 Jīntiān yínháng ménkǒu méi shénme rén 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
Start learning Chinese→