非A非B: neither A nor B
【高63】固定短语 / phrases
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
非A非B says that the subject falls into neither of the two categories one would expect: 非亲非故 (no relative and no acquaintance), 非敌非友 (neither enemy nor friend). 非 is the written "is not", the equivalent of 不是, and A and B are nearly always two one-syllable nouns or pronouns: 非敌非友, 非你非我.
The group serves as a predicate (我们非敌非友) or as a modifier with 的 (非亲非故的人, 非城非乡的日子). It classifies the subject; it does not negate an action. Do not confuse it with 不A不B (level 6), which is built on adjectives or verbs (不大不小, 不冷不热). In speech you would rather say 既不是亲戚也不是朋友. The mould is a written, polished device that gives a narrative some relief.
Examples
我们非敌非友，只是那天见过一面而已。
Wǒmen fēi dí fēi yǒu, zhǐshì nà tiān jiàn guo yí miàn éryǐ.We are neither enemies nor friends; we only met once that day.
他与我非亲非故，却在最困难的时候帮了我。
Tā yǔ wǒ fēi qīn fēi gù, què zài zuì kùnnan de shíhou bāng le wǒ.He was no relation of mine, yet he helped me at my hardest moment.
他对非亲非故的路人也总是很热情。
Tā duì fēi qīn fēi gù de lùrén yě zǒngshì hěn rèqíng.He is always warm, even to passers-by who are complete strangers.
这场悲剧的制造者非你非我，另有他人。
Zhè chǎng bēijù de zhìzào zhě fēi nǐ fēi wǒ, lìng yǒu tārén.The makers of this tragedy are neither you nor I, but someone else.
那些年轻人离开了村子，却没能留在城里，过着非城非乡的日子。
Nàxiē niánqīngrén líkāi le cūnzi, què méi néng liú zài chéng li, guò zhe fēi chéng fēi xiāng de rìzi.Those young people left the village but could not settle in the city, and lead a life that is neither urban nor rural.
Common mistakes
✗ 非好非坏 → ✓ 不好不坏 (with an adjective or a verb, use 不A不B).
✗ 我们不亲不故 → ✓ 我们非亲非故 (the group is fixed and keeps 非).