Expressing a last chance with "zaibu... jiu..."

When time is running out and you need to emphasize that someone needs to act now or else something bad is going to happen, that's when you know you need the pattern 再不…… 就…… (zàibù... jiù...)!

Structure

(Subj. +) 再不 …… 就 ……（了）

What comes right after 再不 is the action that needs to be taken now. What comes after 就 is the dire consequences which will immediately result is that action is not taken.

Examples

• 今年 最后 一 次 优惠 ， 再不 抢 就 没 了 。Jīnnián zuìhòu yī cì yōuhuì, zài bù qiǎng jiù méi le.It's the final sale of the year. If you don't grab it, it'll be gone!

See Also

• Again in the future with "zai"
• Expressing "never again" with "zai ye bu"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 299) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 174) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 265) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5