不见得

• Pinyin: bù jiàn dé
• Hanzi breakdown: 不 = negation; 见 = to see; 得 = to obtain/evident

Meaning

Not necessarily; not likely. Used to express doubt or disagreement with an assumption.

A common adverb for politely expressing skepticism or disagreement. Softer than direct denial, it suggests something is not as certain as assumed. Very useful in discussions and debates.

Examples

1. 贵的东西不见得就是好的，便宜的也不见得质量差。 Expensive things aren't necessarily good, and cheap things don't necessarily have poor quality.
2. 他虽然年轻，做事不见得比老员工差。 Although he's young, his work isn't necessarily worse than that of senior employees.
3. 这次改革不见得能解决根本问题，还需要观察效果。 This reform may not solve the fundamental problem — we still need to observe its effects.

Usage Guide

Context: discussion, opinion, polite disagreement

Tone: skeptical

Do Say

• 他说的不见得对，我们还是核实一下。(What he said may not be right — let's verify it.)
• 学历高不见得能力就强。(A high degree doesn't necessarily mean strong ability.)

Don't Say

• 这个答案不见得是错的。(If you know it's correct, don't use 不见得 — just say 是对的)

Origin & History

不 (not) + 见得 (to be evident/certain). Literally 'not evidently so.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal