Adding emphasis with "fei....buke"

Level

C1 / HSK6
Level

C1
Level

HSK6
Similar to
Similar to
- Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings (HSK2)
- Expressing "have to" with "budebu" (HSK4)
- Expressing "must" with "dei" (HSK4)
- Expressing “must" with "feidei" (HSK6)
Used for

Giving commands, Expressing obligations, Emphasizing
Keywords

非, 不可, 非要

非(要)⋯⋯ 不可 (fēi... bùkě) can generally be used to emphasize something must be done or must be someone. Actually it has the similar meaning with 必须, however, it can be used in different situations.

Fuller Pattern

Structure

Subj. + 非(要) + [Verb Phrase] (+ 不可)

When used before a verb, 非⋯⋯ 不可 expresses that the speaker has strong desire and determination to do that thing. Besides, it can also be used to indicate that something must be done under a certain situation.

Note

Expressing Determination

气死我了，我非要打死你不可。 .
我们非问清楚不可。 .
我非抓到他不可。 .
今天那么冷，可是我女儿非要穿裙子。It's so cold today, but my daughter is determined to wear skirt.

Predicating Future Events

In that case, you can use 一定会 instead. In this case, 不可 can't be omitted.

Some examples:

要是被老板发现了，非炒你鱿鱼不可。 .
你再说下去，他非生气不可。 .
我们再不出发，非迟到不可。 .
天气这么冷，你穿这么少，非感冒不可。 .

Used as "Must"

Examples

非他不可。
这张电影票明天就到期了，非今天去看不可。

Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p.205) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 124) →buy
Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 82) →buy