没时间。

You can use it as a full sentence. You can also put it after a subject like 我没时间. If you want to say you have no time for a specific thing, add it after. For example, 我没时间吃饭 means 'I have no time to eat.' It is like a Lego brick. Just snap it onto whatever activity you are skipping.

Use it with friends when they ask to hang out. Use it at work when a colleague drops a new task. It is great for texting when you are on the move. If a salesperson stops you on the street, this is your shield. It is honest and gets the point across fast. Just be sure to sound a bit apologetic if you like the person!

Don't use it with your boss without a 'sorry.' It can sound a bit blunt or even rude. Avoid using it with elders unless you explain why. If you just say 没时间 to your grandma, she might get sad. In very formal ceremonies, it is too casual. Use a softer phrase like 不太方便 instead. Don't use it if you actually have time but just don't want to go—that's a risky lie!

In modern China, life moves incredibly fast. '996' culture (working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week) is a real thing. Because of this, 没时间 has become a daily mantra. It reflects the high-pressure, fast-paced urban lifestyle. Interestingly, saying you have 'no time' can sometimes be a status symbol. It implies you are important or in demand. But mostly, it just means you need a nap.

You will often hear 没有时间. This is just the longer, slightly more complete version. If you are in a huge rush, you might just say 没空. That means 'no free space/time.' If you want to be polite, add 不好意思 (sorry) at the beginning. It turns a rejection into a soft decline. Adding a 啦 at the end makes it sound less like a command and more like a sigh.