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For a non-native speaker, the above two sentences seem similar.

From the point of the native speaker's view, is there any slight difference?

In the same vein, "I have no money" and "I don't have any money" seems similar to me. Am I right?

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  • We have twenty questions on this. You've been asked before to please search the site before asking.
    – RegDwigнt
    Commented Dec 9, 2015 at 11:46
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    @SteveKim If the search box in the header doesn't turn up anything useful, read the titles that come up when you type your question. When you fill in the "Ask Question" form, those titles show up in a box between your title and the body of your question. Here's one that showed up when I typed your question into the title: link. If you read the comments, you'll come across answers and more links relevant to your question.
    – Lawrence
    Commented Dec 9, 2015 at 12:06

1 Answer 1

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He is no fool

This is emphatic negation. The implication is the guy is by no means foolish. On the contrary, he's probably quite shrewd and will see right through you.

no: Not at all; not close to being: He is no child.

(AHD)

You use no to emphasize that someone or something is not the type of thing mentioned.

He is no singer... Kathryn was no beauty at the best of times.

(Collins Dictionary)

He's not a fool

This is a more neutral statement that simply says the person is not foolish.

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