How to Say “Allow” in Chinese? 允许 Yunxu in Mandarin
Chinese Verbs – Allow | 允许 Yunxu in Mandarin
Allow in Chinese is 允许 Yǔnxǔ or 让 Ràng which is better known as Let in Chinese. 允许 Yǔnxǔ is considerably a more polite form between the two Chinese Verbs when requesting or giving permission to an action. 允许 Yǔnxǔ is used lesser than 让 Ràng due to its formality.
① Allow in Chinese – 允许 Yunxu
Use 允许 Yǔnxǔ when an action requires permission to carry out or when you want to express a sentence in a more polite, formal or commanding tone.
Can you allow me to enter?
你可以允许我进去吗？
Nǐ kě yǐ yǔn xǔ wǒ jìn qù ma?
Do you allow the other half (your partner) to look at your handphone?
你允许另一半看你的手机吗？
Nǐ yǔn xǔ lìng yī bàn kàn nǐ de shǒu jī ma?
I allow my partner to look at my handphone. It is not a problem.
我允许我的伴侣翻看我的手机。我觉得不是问题。
Wǒ yǔn xǔ wǒ de bàn lǚ fān kàn wǒ de shǒu jī. Wǒ jué dé bù shì wèn tí.
Please allow me to correct what you have said wrong.
请允许我纠正你说错的地方。
Qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ jiū zhèng nǐ shuō cuò dì dì fāng.
Although I was late this morning, (but) the teacher still allowed me to enter into the examination hall.
虽然今天早上我迟到，但是老师还是允许我进考场。
Suī rán jīn tiān zǎo shang wǒ chí dào, dàn shì lǎo shī hái shì yǔn xǔ wǒ jìn kǎo chǎng.
If time allows/permits, we get together one more time before you leave.
如果时间允许，我们在你走的时候再聚一次。
Rú guǒ shí jiān yǔn xǔ, wǒ men zài nǐ zǒu de shí hòu zài jù yī cì.
② Not Allow in Chinese – 不允许 Bu Yunxu and 没允许 Mei Yunxu
The difference in negation between the two terms is that:-
- 不允许 Bù yǔnxǔ: Disallow/Not giving permission to an action
- 没允许 Méi yǔnxǔ: Suggests a completed event which the activity was not allowed to take place or did not take place
If you want to tell someone that you do not allow certain things to be done at all/most times, use 不允许 Bù yǔnxǔ.
If it is a one-time event or already in the past, use 没允许 Méi yǔnxǔ.
Most hostels do not allow pets to enter.
大多数旅馆是不允许宠物进去的。
Dà duō shù lǚ guǎn shì bù yǔn xǔ chǒng wù jìn qù de.
Some guys do not allow their girlfriends to wear sexy.
有些男生不允许他们的女朋友穿着暴露。
Yǒu xiē nán shēng bù yǔn xǔ tā men de nǚ péng yǒu chuān zhuó bào lù.
After 10 pm, my parents would not allow me to go out.
过了晚上十点钟，我的父母亲不会允许我出门。
Guò le wǎn shàng shí diǎn zhōng, wǒ de fù mǔ qīn bù huì yǔn xǔ wǒ chū mén.
I do not allow anybody to enter our room as always.
我一向来不允许任何人进我们的房间。
Wǒ yī xiàng lái bu yǔn xǔ rèn hé rén jìn wǒ men de fáng jiān.
I did not allow them to come into my study room.
我没允许他们进我的书房。
Wǒ méi yǔn xǔ tā men jìn wǒ de shū fáng.
I did not allow you to do it.
我没允许你们这么做。
Wǒ méi yǔn xǔ nǐ men zhè me zuò.
Yesterday, I did not allow him to drive my car.
昨天，我没允许他驾我的车。
Zuó tiān, wǒ méi yǔn xǔ tā jià wǒ de chē.
Without my permission, nobody can leave from here.
没有我的允许，谁都不可以离开这里。
Méi yǒu wǒ de yǔn xǔ, shéi dōu bù kě yǐ lí kāi zhè lǐ.
In the last sentence above, 允许 Yǔnxǔ has become a noun which is permission. 没有 Méiyǒu means “without” here and is not affected by the guideline of the time as mentioned above. That is, it can be present or past tense.
Remember to learn the other frequently used Mandarin Verb – 让 Ràng which also expresses Allow in Chinese but in a less authoritative way for daily use – How to Say “Let Me and Let” in Chinese?
