Difference between revisions of "Expressing "how about" with "yaobu""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | 要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings | + | 要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "[[either]]/[[or]]" to "[[how about]]." |
==要不 as to mark possible choices== | ==要不 as to mark possible choices== | ||
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===Structure=== | ===Structure=== | ||
| − | 要不 can be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to | + | 要不 can be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to [[Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome"|要么]]. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
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| − | |||
==要不 used for suggestions== | ==要不 used for suggestions== | ||
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===Structure=== | ===Structure=== | ||
| − | 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. | + | 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. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | reason / | + | reason / situation, 要不 + Option B |
| − | 要不 + Option | + | 要不 + Option B, reason / situation |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 一个人去看电影没意思，<em>要不</em> 我们 一起 去 吧。<span class="pinyin">Yī gè rén qù kàn diànyǐng méi yìsi, <em>yàobù</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's no fun to go to the movie | + | * 一个人去看电影没意思，<em>要不</em> 我们 一起 去 吧。<span class="pinyin">Yī gè rén qù kàn diànyǐng méi yìsi, <em>yàobù</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's no fun to go to the movie by myself. How about we go together?</span> |
* <em>要不</em> 我们 去 逛街 吧，比 在家 睡觉 有 意思。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā shuìjiào yǒu yìsi.</span><span class="trans">Let's go shopping. It's more fun than sleeping at home.</span> | * <em>要不</em> 我们 去 逛街 吧，比 在家 睡觉 有 意思。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā shuìjiào yǒu yìsi.</span><span class="trans">Let's go shopping. It's more fun than sleeping at home.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | ==要不 means otherwise== | + | ==要不 means "otherwise"== |
===Structure=== | ===Structure=== | ||
| − | 要不 can also be used to mean otherwise: | + | 要不 can also be used to mean "[[otherwise]]" (a shortened form of 要不然): |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | Statement, 要不 + Result | |
</div> | </div> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | 要不然 can be used interchangeably with | + | 要不然 can be used interchangeably with 要不 when it is used to mean [[否则]]. |
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 09:00, 15 August 2016
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "either/or" to "how about."
Contents
要不 as to mark possible choices
Structure
要不 can be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to 要么.
要不 + Option A，要不 + Option B
Examples
- 你 要不 看书，要不 听音乐 。You can either study or listen to music.
- 要不 你 做，要不 我 做，但是 一定 要 做 完。Either you do it or I do it, but it's definitely going to be done.
要不 used for suggestions
Structure
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. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.
reason / situation, 要不 + Option B
要不 + Option B, reason / situation
Examples
- 一个人去看电影没意思，要不 我们 一起 去 吧。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。Let's go shopping. It's more fun than sleeping at home.
要不 means "otherwise"
Structure
要不 can also be used to mean "otherwise" (a shortened form of 要不然):
Statement, 要不 + Result
Examples
- 你 快点 打电话 给 他，要不 他会 很 担心。I need to call him soon, or he'll start to worry.
- 我 要 打车，要不 我会迟到。I'm going to take a taxi, otherwise I'll be late.
- 我们 今 晚 要 做好 这个 PPT，要不 明天 老板 肯定 生气。We need to get this PPT prepared tonight, otherwise the boss must be angry tomorrow.
要不然 can be used interchangeably with 要不 when it is used to mean 否则.
See also
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
