HSK 6
无A无B
wú A wú B
The structure "无A无B" (without A without B)
Explanation
无A无B (wú A wú B) is a four-character structure (idiom-like, 成语式) with an emphatic nuance; the meaning is usually idiomatic rather than the literal 'without A without B.' 无 wú means 'without, to not have.'
无 + A + 无 + B, where A and B are usually two words from the same semantic group.
used in written text or in sentences that are general and emphatic. For example, 无时无刻不… wú shí wú kè bù (there is no moment when... not) means 'always' — note that the character 不 bù is required; 无法无天 wú fǎ wú tiān literally 'no law no heaven,' meaning 'reckless, having no regard for rules.'
dropping the 不 after 无时无刻, which reverses the meaning (无时无刻 without 不 is easily misread as 'at no moment'); and trying to translate these phrases literally character by character instead of grasping the overall idiomatic meaning.
Examples
Mom never for a single moment stops missing her child studying abroad (i.e. she misses the child all the time).
If this child isn't disciplined, he'll end up completely lawless, with no regard for heaven or rules.
Practice
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Learn “无A无B” effectively
The grammar point “无A无B” (The structure "无A无B" (without A without B)) is one of the key structures at HSK 6. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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