Difference between revisions of "Expressing "how about" with "yaobu""
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* 你 快点 打电话 给 他，<em>要不</em> 他会 很 担心。 | * 你 快点 打电话 给 他，<em>要不</em> 他会 很 担心。 | ||
* 我 要 打的 <em>要不</em> 我会迟到。 | * 我 要 打的 <em>要不</em> 我会迟到。 | ||
| + | * 我们 今 晚 需要 收拾 好 行李，<em>要不</em> 明天 来 不 及。 | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 01:20, 14 September 2012
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
要不 (yào bù) can have a number of meanings depending on how it is used.
Contents
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 去 睡觉 。
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.
- 要不 我们 一起 去 吧。
- 要不 咱们 今晚 吃 湘菜。
要不 as 否则
要不 can also be used to mean otherwise:
- 你 快点 打电话 给 他，要不 他会 很 担心。
- 我 要 打的 要不 我会迟到。
- 我们 今 晚 需要 收拾 好 行李，要不 明天 来 不 及。
要不然 can be used interchangably with 要不 when it is used as 否则.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1) (pp. 50)
- BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程下) (pp. 187)
