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要不 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
要不yàobùotherwiseHSK 5, v, rank #5393, Hard
要不yàobùor elseHSK 5, v, rank #5393, Hard
要不yàobùhow about...?HSK 5, v, rank #5393, Hard
要不yàobùeither... (or...)HSK 5, v, rank #5393, Hard
yàobù(yao4bu4) T4
  1. 1otherwise
  2. 2or else
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March 24, 2026
要不yàobù(yao4bu4)

The phrase 要不 (yào bù) is commonly used to suggest alternatives or options in conversation. It can be translated as 'otherwise' or 'how about...?' and is often used to propose an alternative solution or to soften a suggestion.

Frequency#5393DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, suggesting alternatives through phrases like 要不 reflects the value placed on harmony and consideration in social interactions, allowing for more polite, non-confrontational communication.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person at a crossroads, asking '要不 (yào bù)', which sounds like 'yow boo' as if they're saying 'yo, what about this way?' The character 要 (yào) represents desire or need, while 不 (bù) means 'not,' creating a sense of exploring other options.

Meanings of 要不

yàobù(yao4bu4)
1otherwise
2or else
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 要不

要不Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
连词连词conjunction (conj.)Part of Speech
#5393Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 要不

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Podcast: 要不

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AI Study Notes for 要不

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person at a crossroads, asking '要不 (yào bù)', which sounds like 'yow boo' as if they're saying 'yo, what about this way?' The character 要 (yào) represents desire or need, while 不 (bù) means 'not,' creating a sense of exploring other options.

Usage Notes

要不 is often used in informal contexts to suggest alternatives or make proposals. A common mistake is to use it in overly formal situations where it's better to stick to more formal alternatives. Remember that the tone of the phrase is generally casual.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 要不 connects with other expressions of suggestion and choice, such as 还是 (háishì) meaning 'or.' Focus on practicing its usage in dialogues where you can suggest alternatives or options.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, suggesting alternatives through phrases like 要不 reflects the value placed on harmony and consideration in social interactions, allowing for more polite, non-confrontational communication.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 要不 with 还是. For example, saying '我们要不去吃饭还是看电影?' is incorrect; instead, use '我们要不去吃饭?' to suggest an alternative without implying a choice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 要不

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Component Characters

要yàoto want
HSK 19 strokes覀
View full entry
不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
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Write 要不

要
不

Practice writing 要不 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 要不

要不 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

只____下雨，比赛就照常进行。

As long as it does not rain, the game will go on as planned.

Example Sentences for 要不 (10)

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1
把它扔进邮筒，要不然就让你的秘书发份传真。

bǎ tā rēng jìn yóu tǒng， ， yào bù rán jiù ràng nǐ de mì shū fā fèn chuán。

Pop it in the post, or get your secretary to fax it.
2
我问道：“要不我等会儿吧？”梅拉妮耸耸肩说：“随你便。”

wǒ wèn dào：“ ：“ yào bù wǒ děng huì ér？” bā ？” méi lā nī sǒng sǒng：“ jiān shuō ：“。”

"Do you mind if I wait?" I asked. Melanie shrugged: "Please yourself."
3
别跟我耍花招，泰勒，要不我会杀了你。

bié gēn wǒ shuǎ huā zhāo， ， tài， lè ， yào bù wǒ huì shā。

Don't try and double-cross me, Taylor, because I'll kill you.
4
至于这场战争，黑格认为要不惜任何代价取得胜利。

zhì yú zhè cháng zhàn zhēng， ， hēi gé rèn wéi yào bù xī rèn hé dài jià qǔ dé shèng。

As regards the war, Haig believed in victory at any price.
5
市场要有活力，需要不断地改变和调整。

shì cháng yào yǒu huó lì， ， xū yào bù duàn dì gǎi biàn hé tiáo。

The dynamic of the market demands constant change and adjustment.
6
除非我们到来，要不然那间小木屋一直都是空的。

chú fēi wǒ mén dào lái， ， yào bù rán nà jiān xiǎo mù wū yī zhí dū shì kōng。

The log cabin stayed empty, except when we came.
7
只要不非得弄懂它的意思，它听上去还是很美的。

zhī yào bù fēi dé nòng dǒng tā de yì sī， ， tā tīng shàng qù huán shì hěn měi。

Provided you didn't try to make sense of it, it sounded beautiful.
8
我可不要不爱吃奶酪的孩子，那可不行。

wǒ kě bù yào bù ài chī nǎi lào de hái zǐ， ， nà kě bù。

I'm not having children who don't like cheese. It's not on.
9
走吧, 要不,那老黑人就抓住你了!

zǒu bā, , yào, bù , nà lǎo hēi rén jiù zhuā zhù!

Come away, or yonder old black man will catch you!
10
不要把价格提得太高,要不会把顾客吓跑的.

bù yào bǎ jià gé tí dé tài gāo, , yào bù huì bǎ gù kè xià pǎo.

Don't put your prices too high or you'll frighten the customers off.

Cultural Notes for 要不

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, suggesting alternatives through phrases like 要不 reflects the value placed on harmony and consideration in social interactions, allowing for more polite, non-confrontational communication.

Frequently Asked Questions about 要不

It's better to avoid using 要不 in formal contexts; opt for alternatives like '否则' (fǒuzé) instead.