Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"
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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
