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 。Nǐ yào bù kànshū yào bù tīng yīnyuè.You can either study or listen to music.
• 要不 你 做，要不 我 做，但是 一定 要 做 完。Yào bù nǐ zuò, yào bù wǒ zuò, dànshì yīdìng yào zuò wán.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。Yī gè rén qù kàn diànyǐng méi yìsi, yào bù wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba.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。Yào bù wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā shuìjiào yǒu yìsi.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。Nǐ kuài diǎn dǎ diànhuà gěi tā, yào bù tā huì hěn dānxīn.I need to call him soon, or he'll start to worry.
• 我 要 打的，要不 我会迟到。Wǒ yào dǎ di, yào bù wǒ huì chídào.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。Wǒmen jīn wǎn xūyào shōushí hǎo xínglǐ, yào bù míngtiān lái bù jí.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