Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"

要不 (yào bù) can have a number of meanings depending on how it is used.

要不 as to mark possible choices

要不 can be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to 或者.

• 你 要不 看书 要不 听音乐 。You can either study or listen to music.
• 要不 你 做，要不 我 做，但是 一定 要 做 完。Either you do it or I do it, but it's definitely going to be done.

Another word that can be used in a similar pattern is 要么, with the difference that 要么 can only be used to list the either/or choices available to oneself as well as the choices available to others.

要不 used for suggestions

要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener.

• 一个人去看电影没意思，要不 我们 一起 去 吧。It's no fun to go to the movie by myself.How about we go together?
• 要不 我们 去 逛街 吧，比 在家 睡觉 有 意思。Let's go shopping.It's more fun than sleeping at home.

要不 means otherwise

要不 can also be used to mean otherwise:

• 你 快点 打电话 给 他，要不 他会 很 担心。I need to call him soon　or he'll start to worry.
• 我 要 打的, 要不 我会迟到。I'm going to take a taxi, otherwise I'll be late.
• 我们 今 晚 需要 收拾 好 行李，要不 明天 来 不 及。We need to prepare the luggage tonight, otherwise there won't be time tomorrow.

要不然 can be used interchangeably with 要不 when it is used as 否则.

See also

• "Or" in statements
• Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"
• Suggestions with "ba"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1)(pp. 50) →buy
• BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程下)(pp. 187) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 123-4) →buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 166-7) →buy