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不存在的事物
bù cún zài de shì wù
nonexistent thing
这个传说中的宝藏其实是不存在的事物。
That legendary treasure is actually a nonexistent thing.
formal
A thing that does not exist; something imaginary, fictional, or impossible.
在法律上，那些条款只是不存在的事物，因为没有被正式通过。
Legally, those clauses are nonexistent things because they were never formally passed.
科幻小说中经常描述不存在的事物，比如时间旅行。
Science fiction often describes nonexistent things, such as time travel.
Commonly used in legal, philosophical, or literary contexts to describe abstract or hypothetical concepts that have no basis in reality.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid literal translation of '不存在的事物' as 'non-existent thing' in casual contexts.
In everyday speech, Chinese speakers might use '假的' (fake), '编造的' (fabricated), or '不真实的' (unreal) instead of the full phrase. Reserve '不存在的事物' for formal or technical contexts.
Gold Rule
Use '不存在的事物' for abstract or hypothetical concepts only.
This phrase is not used for physical objects that are missing or lost (e.g., use '丢失的东西' for a lost item). It specifically refers to things that never existed or cannot exist.
Word Origin
The phrase combines '不存在' (bù cún zài, 'does not exist') and '事物' (shì wù, 'thing'). '不存在' is formed by the negation prefix '不' + '存在' (exist), while '事物' is a compound noun meaning 'thing' or 'object'. The structure is a common adjectival phrase modifying a noun in Chinese grammar.
Usage Notes
This phrase is typically used in formal or academic contexts to describe abstract concepts rather than physical objects. It is often paired with modal verbs like '是' (is) or '成为' (become) to emphasize the non-existence of the subject.
Word Breakdown
不
not/does not
negation prefix存在
exist
verb的
possessive particle (links modifier to noun)
grammatical particle事物
thing/object
noun汉英词典