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!
• 再不 走 我们 开会 就 要 迟到 了。Zài bù zǒu wǒmen kāihuì jiù yào chídào le.If we don't leave now, we will be late for our meeting.
• 火车 快 开 了，再不 检票 就 来不及 了。Huǒchē kuài kāi le, zài bù jiǎn piào jiù láibují le.The train is about to leave, and it will be too late if we don't check the tickets.
• 你 快 告诉 他，不 要 让 他 误会，再不 说 就 真的 误会 了。Nǐ kuài gàosu tā, bù yào ràng tā wùhuì, zài bù shuō jiù zhēnde wùhuì le.Don't let him get the wrong idea, or he'll get the wrong idea.
• 你 再不 学习，下 个 月 就 没有 生活费 了。Nǐ zài bù xuéxí, xià gè yuè jiù méiyǒu shēnghuófèi le.If you don't study, you won't have money to live on next month.
• 你 再不 努力，你 就 会 被 淘汰。Nǐ zài bù nǔlì, nǐ jiù huì bèi táotài.If you don't work hard, you'll be out of a job.
• 你 再不 打 电话，你 就 失去 这个 机会 了。Nǐ zài bù dǎ diànhuà, nǐ jiù shīqù zhège jīhuì le.If you don't call, you'll lose this chance.
• 我 再不 穿 羽绒服，我 就 冻死 了。Wǒ zài bù chuān yǔróngfú, wǒ jiùyào dòngsǐ le.If I don't wear a down jacket, I'm going to freeze to death.
• 你 再不 走，我 就 叫 保安 了。Nǐ zài bù zǒu, wǒ jiùyào jiào bǎoān le.If you don't leave, I'm going to call security.
• 如果 我们 现在 再不 去 旅游，以后 就 更 没有 机会 了。Rúguǒ wǒmen xiànzài zài bù qù lǚyóu, yǐhòu jiù gèng méiyǒu jīhuì le.If we don't travel now, we won't have a chance in the future.

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