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So, I know that 不愁 means to "not worry about" but I'm trying to figure out its exact usage. In particular, I'm trying to figure out if the phrase after 不愁 is always negative?

For example, I know we can say 不愁 找不到工作

Could you also say 不愁找工作?Or does that not make sense ?

Is it 不愁没钱 or 不愁钱?

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    不愁找不到工作 and 不愁找工作 are the same in meaning. The effect in modern Chinese is called redundant negation and happens in some set phrases, such as 差点死了=差点没死, 好不热闹=好热闹, 小心别摔倒=小心摔倒, 不几天他就回来了=几天他就回来了, and 难免不犯错误=难免犯错误. IMO, it sounds like the "legalized" usage of double negative in English.
    – Stan
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 13:34
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    Maybe you can threat the later as the issue. 不愁找工作: no need to worry about (the issue of) finding a job 不愁钱: no need to worry about (the issue of not having enough) money.
    – James
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 13:52
  • Why you guys don't post as the answer?
    – user4072
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 15:25
  • In fact www has articles about "羡余否定",but this user did not find 不愁 quoted as example, maybe this would support below answer (also see examples in jukuu).
    – user6065
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 22:25

3 Answers 3

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不愁 basically means "not worried", to answer your question, I think you are looking at it the wrong way.

First of all, I think the confusion is between the using of "不" and "没", you are thinking that by adding the word "不" or "没", the sentence becomes negative. But it all based on the context you are using it in. Lets compare the examples you provided:


不愁找不到工作 vs 不愁找工作

"不愁找不到工作(Not worried about not finding a job)"

"不愁找工作(Not worried about job searching/job hunthing)"

The two sentences may translate into different meanings, but it all comes down to the same general idea, that is "Not worried, I can find a job(or maybe I don't need a job)". And that is why the sentences basically means the same thing.


Similarly with

不愁没钱 vs 不愁钱

"不愁没钱(Not worried about not having money)"

"不愁钱(Not worried about money)"

The two sentences also have the same general idea "Not worried, I have money/I don't need money)", so they mean the same thing too.


So theres no negative or positive words that you need to follow with "不愁", but instead it all based on the context. For example, if you are paying for someone and they are reluctant for you to do so, you could say "啊呀,不愁钱(lets not worry about money)" instead of "啊呀,不愁没钱(lets not worry about not having money)" as it is abit more informal.

I know this all might seems confusing, but 加油,咱不愁,会越来越好.

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It really depends on the context when you say 不愁没钱 or 不愁钱(用). For example, when you talk about doing something that requires funding but the money is not there yet. On the other hand, you know for sure there is money somewhere else that can be allocated for this "something", then you would say 不愁没钱. A different scenario: I always have $3000 cash in my account each month for purchases, my kid is asking if he can get a new computer for school, I would say 儿子,你上学需要,咱就买,咱家不愁钱.

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Itis doesn't matter weather negative or positive.不愁 means you needn't warry.

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