[verb, plain] + な
Plain prohibitive 〜な
Meaning
The blunt negative command — "Don't ~!".
Formation
[verb, plain NON-PAST] + な · 見る → 見るな · 行く → 行くな
Notes
Attaches to the dictionary form, which is what separates it from the gentle 〜なさい (which takes the ます-stem): 食べるな = "don't eat!", 食べなさい = "eat". Same register as the plain imperative — signs, warnings, rough speech. The polite equivalent is 〜ないでください.
Examples
ここに入（はい）るな。
Don't enter here.
Breakdown
心配（しんぱい）するな。大丈夫（だいじょうぶ）だ。
Don't worry. It's fine.
Breakdown
そこを触（さわ）るな。
Don't touch that.
Breakdown
まだ諦（あきら）めるな。
Don't give up yet.
Breakdown
早（はや）く食（た）べなさい。走（はし）りながら食（た）べるな。
Eat up quickly. Don't eat while running. (なさい takes the stem, な the dictionary form)
Breakdown
⚠️ Often confused with
〜なさい
Do it 〜なさい
A firm but polite command — used by a parent to a child, a teacher to a student, or in exa...
命令形
Plain imperative 命令形
The blunt command form — "Do it!". Strong, and rarely appropriate in conversation.