Difference between revisions of "Expressing "can't do without" with "shaobuliao""

 
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In the phrase 少不了 (shǎobuliǎo), the word 少 represents "being without." So 少不了 means "can't be without" or "can't do without." It is quite colloquial in usage.
Sometimes in English, we have "you won't see one without the other." In Chinese, the same sort of idea can be achieved using "少不了" (shǎobuliǎo). It means that if there is one thing, then there is going to be another something along with it.
 
  
 
==Structure==
 
==Structure==
 
The structure of this grammar point is pretty simple. The noun before "少不了" is sort of the "main" noun and the second noun is the one that tags along as a result.
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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Subj. + 少不了 + Noun / Verb Phrase
Noun 1 + 少不了 + Noun 2
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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*每年 春节,<em>少不了</em> 饺子 和 春晚 。<span class="pinyin">Měi nián Chūnjié, <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> jiǎozi hé Chūnwǎn.</span><span class="trans">Every Chinese New Year, it's gotta be dumplings and the Spring Festival Gala.</span>
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*如果 回家 晚 了,<em>少不了</em> 一 顿 骂。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ huíjiā wǎn le, <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> yī dùn mà.</span><span class="trans">If I get home late, there's no getting out of getting yelled at.</span>
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*过 生日 <em>少不了</em> 吃 生日 蛋糕 。<span class="pinyin">Guò shēngrì <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> chī shēngrì dàngāo.</span><span class="trans">On someone's birthday we can't not eat birthday cake.</span>
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*学 中文 <em>少不了</em> 学 拼音 和 汉字 。<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> xué pīnyīn hé hànzì.</span><span class="trans">Studying Chinese always involves studying pinyin and Chinese characters.</span>
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*回家 过年  <em>少不了</em> 带 点 礼物 给 家人 。<span class="pinyin">Huí ji guònián <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> dài diǎn lǐwù gěi jiārén.</span><span class="trans">When you return home for Chinese New Year, you can't fail to bring back some presents for your family.</span>
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*大家 都 是 邻居 ,以后 <em>少不了</em> 麻烦 您 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu shì línjū, yǐhòu <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> máfan nín.</span><span class="trans">We're all neighbors, so we'll definitely have to trouble you at some point.</span>
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*他 负责 联系 客户 ,所以 <em>少不了</em> 请 客户 吃饭 。<span class="pinyin">Tā fùzé liánxì kèhù, suǒyǐ <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> qǐng kèhù chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">He is responsible for contacting clients, so he invariably has to treat them to dinner.</span>
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</div>
  
*过年 总 少不了 大鱼大肉。<span class="trans">There's always a big meal when we celebrate the New Year.</span>
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==Pointing to a Cause with 少不了==
*他 喜欢 吃醋,每 顿饭 总 少不了 一碗醋。<span class="trans">He likes to eat vinegar, there's a bowl of vinegar at every meal.</span>
 
*学中文 少不了 要 学 拼音 和 声调。<span class="trans">Studying Chinese always involves studying pinyin and tones.</span>
 
*从 中国 回去,一定 少不了 要 带 点 中国 特产 送给 朋友。<span class="trans">When you return from China, you will definitely have to bring back some distinctly Chinese products to give to your friends.</span>
 
*他 很 喜欢 吃,每次 别人 请客 都 少不了 他。<span class="trans">He really likes to eat. Every time some one else is paying, he's always there.</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
  
==Relating events==
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Sometimes the two things that 少不了 connects can be events, saying "It's like A because B happened." This construction is often based on observations or experiences that the speaker has had, so that they can know (or assume) what situations relate to each other. It is often used together with .
Sometimes, the two things that "少不了" connects aren't objects. Instead they can be events, and the "少不了" is connecting them saying "It's like A because B happened." This construction is often based off of observations or experiences that the speaker has had, so that they can know (or assume) what situations relate to each other. It is often used together with "又".
 
  
 
===Structure===
 
===Structure===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
Situation / Result ,少不了 + + Reason
Situation 1 + 少不了 + (又) + Situation 2
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note, however, that in this construction, the reason ''follows'' "少不了"
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Note, however, that in this construction, the reason ''follows'' 少不了.
  
 
===Examples===
 
===Examples===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
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*看 他 的 样子,<em>少不了</em> 是 跟 女 朋友 吵架 了。<span class="pinyin">Kàn tā de yàngzi, <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> shì gēn nǚpéngyǒu chǎojià le.</span><span class="trans">Look at him. He must have argued with his girlfriend.</span>
*这里这么多垃圾!少不了又是那个讨厌的女人干的。<span class="trans">There's so much garbage here! It must have something to do with those disgusting women.</span>
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*这么 闷热 ,<em>少不了</em> 是 要 下 暴雨 。<span class="pinyin">Zhème mēnrè, <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> shì yào xià bàoyǔ.</span><span class="trans">It's so stuffy. It must be about to storm.</span>
*八点多了还没回来,少不了又在加班。<span class="trans">It's past 8 o'clock he still hasn't come back. He must be working overtime.</span>
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*八点 多 了 还 没 回 来,<em>少不了</em> 是 在 加班 。<span class="pinyin">Bā diǎn duō le hái méi huílái, <em>shǎobuliǎo</em> shì zài jiābān.</span><span class="trans">It's past 8 o'clock he still hasn't come back. He must be working overtime.</span>
*看他的样子,少不了又跟女朋友吵架了。<span class="trans">Look at how he looks. He must have argued with his girlfriend.</span>
 
*这么闷热,少不了要下暴雨了。<span class="trans">It's so stuffy. It must be about to storm.</span>
 
*今年少不了是个丰收年。<span class="trans">There's going to be a bumper crop this year.</span>
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Sources and Further Reading===
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==Sources and Further Reading==
  
 
===Books===
 
===Books===
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{{Source|卓越汉语-公司实战篇|83}}
  
===Websites===
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[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}}
{{Basic Grammar|少不了|B1|春节 <em>少不了</em> 吃 饺子。|grammar point|NEEDCODE}}
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{{Used for|Referring to simultaneous events}}
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{{Basic Grammar|少不了|B2|Subj. + 少不了 + Noun / Verb Phrase|春节 <em>少不了</em> 吃 饺子。|grammar point|ASG3IR71}}
 
{{Rel char|少}}
 
{{Rel char|少}}
 
{{Rel char|不了}}
 
{{Rel char|不了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}

Latest revision as of 07:45, 14 January 2021

In the phrase 少不了 (shǎobuliǎo), the word 少 represents "being without." So 少不了 means "can't be without" or "can't do without." It is quite colloquial in usage.

Structure

Subj. + 少不了 + Noun / Verb Phrase

Examples

  • 每年 春节,少不了 饺子 和 春晚 。Měi nián Chūnjié, shǎobuliǎo jiǎozi hé Chūnwǎn.Every Chinese New Year, it's gotta be dumplings and the Spring Festival Gala.
  • 如果 回家 晚 了,少不了 一 顿 骂。Rúguǒ huíjiā wǎn le, shǎobuliǎo yī dùn mà.If I get home late, there's no getting out of getting yelled at.
  • 过 生日 少不了 吃 生日 蛋糕 。Guò shēngrì shǎobuliǎo chī shēngrì dàngāo.On someone's birthday we can't not eat birthday cake.
  • 学 中文 少不了 学 拼音 和 汉字 。Xué Zhōngwén shǎobuliǎo xué pīnyīn hé hànzì.Studying Chinese always involves studying pinyin and Chinese characters.
  • 回家 过年 少不了 带 点 礼物 给 家人 。Huí ji guònián shǎobuliǎo dài diǎn lǐwù gěi jiārén.When you return home for Chinese New Year, you can't fail to bring back some presents for your family.
  • 大家 都 是 邻居 ,以后 少不了 麻烦 您 。Dàjiā dōu shì línjū, yǐhòu shǎobuliǎo máfan nín.We're all neighbors, so we'll definitely have to trouble you at some point.
  • 他 负责 联系 客户 ,所以 少不了 请 客户 吃饭 。Tā fùzé liánxì kèhù, suǒyǐ shǎobuliǎo qǐng kèhù chīfàn.He is responsible for contacting clients, so he invariably has to treat them to dinner.

Pointing to a Cause with 少不了

Sometimes the two things that 少不了 connects can be events, saying "It's like A because B happened." This construction is often based on observations or experiences that the speaker has had, so that they can know (or assume) what situations relate to each other. It is often used together with 是.

Structure

Situation / Result ,少不了 + 是 + Reason

Note, however, that in this construction, the reason follows 少不了.

Examples

  • 看 他 的 样子,少不了 是 跟 女 朋友 吵架 了。Kàn tā de yàngzi, shǎobuliǎo shì gēn nǚpéngyǒu chǎojià le.Look at him. He must have argued with his girlfriend.
  • 这么 闷热 ,少不了 是 要 下 暴雨 。Zhème mēnrè, shǎobuliǎo shì yào xià bàoyǔ.It's so stuffy. It must be about to storm.
  • 八点 多 了 还 没 回 来,少不了 是 在 加班 。Bā diǎn duō le hái méi huílái, shǎobuliǎo shì zài jiābān.It's past 8 o'clock he still hasn't come back. He must be working overtime.

Sources and Further Reading

Books

HSK5