---
title: "Buding Meaning: 不定 (bùdìng) Means “not fixed”"
description: "不定 (bùdìng) means “not fixed; unsettled”. Hear its tones, see what 不 and 定 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/buding"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 不定 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

不定 bùdìng

## not fixed; unsettled

## It can also mean

- maybe; there's no telling (不定哪天)
- (grammar) indefinite

## Its characters

1. 不 bù not
2. 定 dìng to fix

## In a sentence

他的下班时间不定。 His time for getting off work isn't fixed.

[More about 不定](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%8D%E5%AE%9A)

## More words with 不 or 定

- [安定 āndìng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/anding)
- [必不可少 bìbùkěshǎo](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bibukeshao)
- [必定 bìdìng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/biding)
- [不安 bù’ān](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/buan)
- [不必 bùbì](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bubi)
- [不便 bùbiàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bubian)
- [不曾 bùcéng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/buceng)
- [不成 bùchéng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bucheng)
- [不错 bùcuò](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bucuo)
- [不但 bùdàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/budan)

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