Difference between revisions of "Expressing "how about" with "yaobu""

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* 你 快点 打电话 给 他,<em>要不</em> 他会 很 担心。
 
* 你 快点 打电话 给 他,<em>要不</em> 他会 很 担心。
 
* 我 要 打的 <em>要不</em> 我会迟到。
 
* 我 要 打的 <em>要不</em> 我会迟到。
 +
* 我们 今 晚 需要 收拾 好 行李,<em>要不</em> 明天 来 不 及。
 
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Revision as of 01:20, 14 September 2012

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.

  • 要不 看书 要不 去 睡觉 。

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.

  • 要不 我们 一起 去 吧。
  • 要不 咱们 今晚 吃 湘菜。

要不 as 否则

要不 can also be used to mean otherwise:

  • 你 快点 打电话 给 他,要不 他会 很 担心。
  • 我 要 打的 要不 我会迟到。
  • 我们 今 晚 需要 收拾 好 行李,要不 明天 来 不 及。

要不然 can be used interchangably with 要不 when it is used as 否则.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books