勿 wù don’t
must not; do not
How it came to be
A knife with pieces flying off it, or a banner with its streamers; the old dictionary gives the second. Borrowed early for telling somebody not to, and kept.
用法
- Literary/imperative 'do not' - on signs and notices - 请勿吸烟 (qǐng wù xīyān) no smoking, 请勿打扰 (qǐng wù dǎrǎo) do not disturb.
- The formal, written equivalent of 别/不要; you see it on signage far more than you hear it.
- 务必 vs 切勿: 切勿 (qièwù) = 'be sure not to', a strong warning.