与否 (whether or not)

• Pinyin: yǔfǒu
• Formation: Verb/Adjective + 与否
• Hanzi breakdown: 与 = simplified form of 與 (give/and); 否 = 不 (not) + 口 (mouth)

Meaning

与否 (yǔfǒu) is a formal, literary way to express 'whether or not.' It is placed directly after a verb or adjective to present a binary choice about whether something is the case or not.

与否 is more literary and formal than the more common 是否, which typically precedes the verb. While 是否 asks 'whether,' 与否 specifically pairs with the preceding verb or adjective to form an 'X or not X' construction. It frequently appears in official documents, academic writing, and formal speeches. Unlike 是不是 or the A-not-A question pattern, 与否 is not used in casual spoken conversation. It often co-occurs with phrases expressing consequence or relevance, such as 取决于 (depends on) or 关系到 (relates to).

Examples

1. 参加与否，请在本周五之前回复确认。 Whether or not you will attend, please confirm by this Friday.
2. 这项计划成功与否，很大程度上取决于团队的配合。 Whether or not this plan succeeds largely depends on the team's coordination.
3. 录取与否将在下个月通知各位申请者。 Whether or not you are admitted will be communicated to all applicants next month.

Usage Guide

Context: written, formal, academic

Tone: deliberative

Do Say

• 出席与否，请提前三天告知组委会。
• 产品质量合格与否，必须经过严格的检测程序。
• 这项投资值得与否，需要综合考虑多方面因素。

Don't Say

• 你与否同意这个方案？(与否 must follow the verb/adjective, not precede it — use 是否 for pre-verbal position) → 你是否同意这个方案？
• 他与否来参加会议我不知道。(与否 cannot be placed before the verb — it should follow the verb as in 来与否) → 他来与否我不知道。

Origin & History

与否 comes from Classical Chinese, combining 与 (and/with) and 否 (no/not). It functions as a succinct literary expression for 'or not,' equivalent to the more colloquial 还是不 or the verb-not-verb pattern.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal