Expressing "can't do without" with "shaobuliao"

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 nǚ péngyǒu 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

• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 83) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

Websites

HSK5