Formal/Neutral:
* 什么都没有 (shénme dōu méiyǒu): This literally means "nothing at all" and is the most common and neutral way to say "nothing".
* 没有 (méiyǒu): This means "don't have" or "there is no" and can also be used to mean "nothing".
Informal:
* 没有东西 (méiyǒu dōngxi): This literally means "no thing" and is more informal than "什么都没有".
* 什么也 (shénme yě): This can be used to emphasize the absence of something. For example, "什么也没做 (shénme yě méi zuò)" means "didn't do anything".
Negative Emphasis:
* 一点都没有 (yī diǎn dōu méiyǒu): This means "not even a little bit" and emphasizes the complete absence of something.
* 半点都没有 (bàn diǎn dōu méiyǒu): This means "not even a little bit" and emphasizes the complete absence of something, similar to "一点都没有".
The best choice for you will depend on the specific situation. For example, if you are talking about a lack of food, you might say "没有东西吃 (méiyǒu dōngxi chī)". If you are talking about the absence of any news, you might say "什么都没有 (shénme dōu méiyǒu)".
Here's a table summarizing the different ways to say "nothing" in Chinese:
| Phrase | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 什么都没有 (shénme dōu méiyǒu) | Nothing at all | Neutral, formal |
| 没有 (méiyǒu) | Don't have, there is no | Neutral, formal |
| 没有东西 (méiyǒu dōngxi) | No thing | Informal |
| 什么也 (shénme yě) | Nothing at all | Informal, emphasizes absence |
| 一点都没有 (yī diǎn dōu méiyǒu) | Not even a little bit | Negative emphasis |
| 半点都没有 (bàn diǎn dōu méiyǒu) | Not even a little bit | Negative emphasis |