Difference between revisions of "Expressing "unless" with "chufei""
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==Used with 才== | ==Used with 才== | ||
| − | 除非 is also used in the patterns below. The meaning expressed is the same as the sentences above, but below the "Y" part expresses what '''won't''' happen ''unless'' the 除非 condition is met. | + | 除非 is also used in the patterns below. The meaning expressed is the same as the sentences above, but below the "Y" part expresses what '''won't''' happen ''unless'' the 除非 condition is met. It might be more helpful to think of it 除非 as meaning "only if." |
===Structure=== | ===Structure=== | ||
Revision as of 21:49, 18 December 2012
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Keywords
除非 (chúfēi) can be used as a conjunction, and means "unless". 否则 (fǒuzé) or 不然 (bùrán) often appear in the following phrase, to form a construction meaning "unless X, otherwise Y":
Contents
Simplified Construction
The simplified construction more directly maps to the basic English usage of "unless," as in, "I won't do it unless you pay me."
Structure
除非 means "unless" in the following "Y , 除非 X" pattern. The sentences below place emphasis on the part after 除非.
Y，除非 X
Examples
- 老板 不 给 你 加薪，除非 你 表现 很 好。
- 公司 不 允许 员工 请假，除非 理由 很 充分。
- 欧洲 的 经济 无法 恢复 正常，除非 希腊 债务 问题 得以 解决。
- 我们 会 破产，除非 能 申请 到 银行 贷款。
Full construction
In the full construction, 除非 comes first, and the meaning is "Unless X, otherwise Y."
Structure
除非 X ，否则/不然 Y
Examples
- 除非 你 表现 很 好，否则 老板 不 给 你 加薪。
- 除非 理由 很 充分，否则 公司 不 允许 员工 请假。
- 除非 希腊 债务 问题 得以 解决，不然 欧洲 的 经济 无法 恢复 正常。
- 除非 能 申请 到 银行 贷款，否则 我们 就 会 破产。
Used with 才
除非 is also used in the patterns below. The meaning expressed is the same as the sentences above, but below the "Y" part expresses what won't happen unless the 除非 condition is met. It might be more helpful to think of it 除非 as meaning "only if."
Structure
除非 X，才 Y
Examples
- 除非 理由 很 充分，公司 才 允许 员工 请假。
- 除非 你 表现 很 好，老板 才 给 你 加薪。
- 除非 希腊 债务 问题 得以 解决，欧洲 的 经济 才 恢复 正常。
- 除非 能 申请 到 银行 贷款，我们 才 不 会 破产。
