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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
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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)

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