Chinese–EnglishWith examples

要不

yào bù · yao bu

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. otherwise
  2. or else
  3. how about...?
  4. either... (or...)
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

Where shall we go?

  1. Liangliang

    周末(zhōumò)去(qù)哪儿(nǎr)？

    Where shall we go this weekend?

  2. Dengdeng

    要不(yàobù)去(qù)爬山(páshān)吧(ba)？

    How about climbing a mountain?

  3. Liangliang

    太(tài)累(lèi)了(le)。要不(yàobù)去(qù)看(kàn)电影(diànyǐng)？

    Too tiring. How about a movie?

  4. Dengdeng

    电影(diànyǐng)也(yě)行(xíng)。要不(yàobù)先(xiān)吃饭(chīfàn)？

    A movie is fine. How about eating first?

  5. Liangliang

    我们(wǒmen)要不(yàobù)来(lái)要不(yàobù)去(qù)，一个(yīgè)小时(xiǎoshí)了(le)，还(hái)没(méi)出门(chūmén)！

    We keep going "how about this, how about that". It has been an hour and we still have not left!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)们(men)快(kuài)点(diǎn)走(zǒu)吧(ba)，要(yào)不(bú)就(jiù)迟(chí)到(dào)了(le)。

Let's hurry up, otherwise we'll be late.

02

要(yào)不(bù)我(wǒ)们(men)明(míng)天(tiān)再(zài)去(qù)，今(jīn)天(tiān)太(tài)晚(wǎn)了(le)。

How about we go tomorrow instead? It's too late today.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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