要不

• 拼音: yào bù
• 汉字拆解: 要 = 西 (cover) + 女 (woman — original meaning: to demand/require; extended to 'must/if'); 不 = root-downward pictograph (negation)

含义

Otherwise; or else; alternatively. Introduces a contrasting option or consequence, or suggests an alternative course of action.

Functions as a conjunction linking two clauses: (1) 'otherwise / or else' — presenting a negative consequence if the preceding condition is not met; (2) 'how about / alternatively' — suggesting an alternative option in a proposal. Common in spoken and informal written Chinese.

例句

1. 你得现在出发，要不肯定赶不上最后一班地铁，到时候只能打车了。
2. 这道题我实在不会，要不你先讲讲思路，我自己再试着做一遍？
3. 今天天气不好，要不我们把户外活动改到下周末，到时候应该会晴。

用法指南

语境: spoken, suggestion, warning, everyday

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 你现在就得把合同签了，要不对方随时可能变卦，到那时候再后悔也来不及了。(You need to sign the contract right now; otherwise the other party could change their mind at any moment, and by then it will be too late to regret it.)
• 这个方案目前看来确实存在一些不足，要不我们今天先搁置争议，各自回去再完善一下，明天再继续讨论？(This plan does have some shortcomings at the moment; how about we set aside the dispute for today, each go back and refine our ideas, and then continue the discussion tomorrow?)

错误说法

• 要不然而如此 — 要不 is a standalone conjunction; do not combine with 然而 or 如此; say 要不然 or simply 要不; stacking conjunctions is grammatically redundant and unnatural

起源与历史

要 (must/if — originally to demand, later 'must/if') + 不 (not — a radical showing negation)

文化背景

时代: Modern

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal