until 是直到.
如:You have to stand on it until you can go against it .
not until 是在...之前 
如:You can not go against it until you can earn your life .
until一般不放在句首,后面跟时间词连用 
如:He came back until midnight.
not until:可放句首,但主句要用倒装. 
Not until midnight did he came back home.
还有一种用法与until相似. 
He did not come back home until midnight.
until 
prep.
(=to the time of)直到...时,到...为止 
[常用在否定句中](=before)在...以前; 直到...才; 不到...(不) 
until his death 
直到他死 
until four o'clock 
直到四点钟 
He did not go until night.
他直到夜里才走.
It was not until yesterday that I noticed it.
直到昨天我才注意到这件事.
两个不能说区别,因为not until本来就是until的否定,表示直到.才
