How do you say not a in Chinese?

There are a few ways to say "not a" in Chinese, depending on the context and what you want to emphasize. Here are a few options:

1. 不 (bù): This is the most basic and common way to express "not" in Chinese. It can be used before a noun to mean "not a."

* Example: 不是一个苹果 (bù shì yī ge píngguǒ) - Not an apple.

2. 没 (méi): This is another common way to say "not" and often means "not have" or "not exist." It can also be used with a noun to mean "not a."

* Example: 没一个学生 (méi yī ge xuésheng) - Not a single student.

3. 并非 (bìng fēi): This is a more formal way to say "not" and emphasizes that something is definitely not true. It can also be used to say "not a."

* Example: 并非一个好主意 (bìng fēi yī ge hǎo zhǔyì) - Not a good idea.

4. 不是...而是 (bù shì...ér shì): This phrase is used to say "not A but B." It emphasizes that something is not one thing but something else.

* Example: 不是一个老师，而是一个学生 (bù shì yī ge lǎoshī, ér shì yī ge xuésheng) - Not a teacher, but a student.

5. 不属于 (bù shǔyú): This means "not belong to" or "not part of" and can be used to say something is not a particular category.

* Example: 不属于一个国家 (bù shǔyú yī ge guójiā) - Not part of a country.

The best way to say "not a" in Chinese depends on the specific context and what you want to express.