Difference between revisions of "Expressing "what if" with "wanyi""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
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Literally meaning "ten thousand [to] one," 万一 (wànyī) is a word you can use to discuss unlikely possibilities in the sense of "what if," or "in case," or "in the unlikely event that." It's most often used to bring up undesirable situations.  
Literally meaning "ten thousand to one," 万一 (wànyī) is a word you can use to discuss unlikely possibilities in the sense of "what if," or "in case," or "in the unlikely event that." It's most often used to bring up undesirable situations.  
 
  
 
== Basic Pattern ==
 
== Basic Pattern ==
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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This use of 万一 has the same basic meaning as in a statement, but because it's a question, there's no solution offered.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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*带 着 伞 吧 ,<em>万一</em> 下雨 呢 ?<span class="pinyin">Dài zhe sǎn ba, <em>wàn yī</em> xiàyǔ ne?</span><span class="trans">Take an umbrella. What if it rains?</span>
 
*带 着 伞 吧 ,<em>万一</em> 下雨 呢 ?<span class="pinyin">Dài zhe sǎn ba, <em>wàn yī</em> xiàyǔ ne?</span><span class="trans">Take an umbrella. What if it rains?</span>
 
*你 先 打 电话 问问 。他 <em>万一</em> 不 在 呢 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiān dǎ diànhuà wènwen. Tā <em>wànyī</em> bù zài ne? </span><span class="trans">You should call first. What if he's not there?</span>
 
*你 先 打 电话 问问 。他 <em>万一</em> 不 在 呢 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiān dǎ diànhuà wènwen. Tā <em>wànyī</em> bù zài ne? </span><span class="trans">You should call first. What if he's not there?</span>
*开 慢点 !<em>万一</em> 撞到 人 怎么办 ?<span class="pinyin">Kāi màn diǎn! <em>Wànyī</em> zhuàngdào rén zěnme bàn? </span><span class="trans">Drive slowly! What if you hit someone?</span>
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*开 慢 点 !<em>万一</em> 撞到 人 怎么办 ?<span class="pinyin">Kāi màn diǎn! <em>Wànyī</em> zhuàngdào rén zěnme bàn? </span><span class="trans">Drive more slowly! What if you hit someone?</span>
  
 
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== Fuller Pattern ==
 
== Fuller Pattern ==
 
This use of 万一 has the same basic meaning as in a statement, but because it's a question, there's no solution offered.
 
  
 
After bringing up the possibility of "disaster," the rest of the sentence normally addresses what "we" should do about it.
 
After bringing up the possibility of "disaster," the rest of the sentence normally addresses what "we" should do about it.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
 
万一 can go before or after the [[subject]] of a sentence.
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*<em>万一</em> 他 不 喜欢,你 可以 来 换 。<span class="expl">This "if" is more of a "in the unlikely event that"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Wànyī</em> tā bù xǐhuan, nǐ kěyǐ lái huàn.</span><span class="trans">If he doesn't like it, you can come to make an exchange.</span>
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*<em>万一</em> 他 不 喜欢,你 可以 来 换 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wànyī</em> tā bù xǐhuan, nǐ kěyǐ lái huàn.</span><span class="trans">If he doesn't like it, you can come back and exchange it.</span>
*我 需要 记 下来 ,<em>万一</em> 忘 了,可以 查 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xūyào jì xiàlái, <em>wànyī</em> wàng le, kěyǐ chá.</span><span class="trans">I need to write it down. In case I forget, I can look it up.</span>
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*我 记 下来 ,<em>万一</em> 忘 了,可以 查 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào jì xiàlái, <em>wànyī</em> wàng le, kěyǐ chá.</span><span class="trans">I need to write it down. In case I forget, I can look it up.</span>
 
*<em>万一</em> 迷路 了,就 用 地图 导航 。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Wànyī</em> mílù le, jiù yòng dìtú dǎoháng.</span><span class="trans">In case you get lost, use the map's GPS navigation.</span>
 
*<em>万一</em> 迷路 了,就 用 地图 导航 。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Wànyī</em> mílù le, jiù yòng dìtú dǎoháng.</span><span class="trans">In case you get lost, use the map's GPS navigation.</span>
*<em>万一</em> 发生 这种 情况,你们 就 这样 做 。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Wànyī</em> fāshēng zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng,nǐmen jiù zhèyàng zuò.</span><span class="trans">In the unlikely event that this happens, this is what you should do.</span>
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*<em>万一</em> 发生 这种 情况 ,马上 报警 。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Wànyī</em> fāshēng zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng, mǎshàng bàojǐng.</span><span class="trans">In the unlikely event that this happens, call the police immediately.</span>
*<em>万一</em> 有 危险,马上 给 我 打 电话。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Wànyī</em> yǒu wēixiǎn, mǎshàng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">In the case of any danger, call me immediately.</span>
 
  
 
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== 以防万一(yǐ fáng wànyī) as "just in case!" ==
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== 以防万一(yǐfángwànyī) as "just in case!" ==
  
 
This usage is notably less common than the other two, but if you're looking to sophisticate your Chinese, this is a good leader phrase to know. (Later on you will learn more about what's going on with this [[以]].)
 
This usage is notably less common than the other two, but if you're looking to sophisticate your Chinese, this is a good leader phrase to know. (Later on you will learn more about what's going on with this [[以]].)
 
Note that 万一 (wànyī) is used as a noun here.
 
 
A few examples:
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*北京 现在 特别 冷 ,多 带 几 件 衣服 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Běijīng xiànzài tèbié lěng, duō dài jǐ jiàn yīfu, <em>yǐ fáng wànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's especially cold now in Beijing. You should bring a few more pieces of clothing, just in case.</span>
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*北京 现在 特别 冷 ,多 带 几 件 衣服 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Běijīng xiànzài tèbié lěng, duō dài jǐ jiàn yīfu, <em>yǐfángwànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's especially cold now in Beijing. You should bring a few more pieces of clothing, just in case.</span>
*多 带点 现金 吧 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Duō dài diǎn xiànjīn ba, <em>yǐfángwànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Take more cash, just in case.</span>
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*多 带 点 现金 吧 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Duō dài diǎn xiànjīn ba, <em>yǐfángwànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Take some extra cash, just in case.</span>
*多 买 一点 吧 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Duō mǎi yīdiǎn ba, <em>yǐ fáng wànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">We should buy some more, just in case.</span>
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*多 买 吧 ,<em>以防万一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Duō mǎi diǎn ba, <em>yǐfángwànyī</em>.</span><span class="trans">We should buy some more, just in case.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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 +
=== Books ===
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{{Source|卓越汉语-公司实战篇|234}}
  
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]

Latest revision as of 03:12, 17 December 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-万一.jpg

Literally meaning "ten thousand [to] one," 万一 (wànyī) is a word you can use to discuss unlikely possibilities in the sense of "what if," or "in case," or "in the unlikely event that." It's most often used to bring up undesirable situations.

Basic Pattern

万一 is used for a usually undesirable possibility which the speaker considers highly unlikely. It's often a rhetorical question. (In other words, the speaker is saying, "if this happens, you're screwed.")

Structure

There are two common ways to use it in a question:

万一 ⋯⋯ 怎么办 ?

万一 ⋯⋯ 呢 ?

Note that 万一 can go before or after the subject of a sentence.

Examples

This use of 万一 has the same basic meaning as in a statement, but because it's a question, there's no solution offered.

  • 万一 我 父母 不 同意 呢 ?Wànyī wǒ fùmǔ bù tóngyì ne? What if my parents disapprove?
  • 万一 被 发现 了 怎么办 ? Wànyī bèi fāxiàn le zěnme bàn?What if we get caught?
  • 带 着 伞 吧 ,万一 下雨 呢 ?Dài zhe sǎn ba, wàn yī xiàyǔ ne?Take an umbrella. What if it rains?
  • 你 先 打 电话 问问 。他 万一 不 在 呢 ?Nǐ xiān dǎ diànhuà wènwen. Tā wànyī bù zài ne? You should call first. What if he's not there?
  • 开 慢 点 !万一 撞到 人 怎么办 ?Kāi màn diǎn! Wànyī zhuàngdào rén zěnme bàn? Drive more slowly! What if you hit someone?

Fuller Pattern

After bringing up the possibility of "disaster," the rest of the sentence normally addresses what "we" should do about it.

Structure

万一 ⋯⋯ ,⋯⋯

Examples

  • 万一 他 不 喜欢,你 可以 来 换 。Wànyī tā bù xǐhuan, nǐ kěyǐ lái huàn.If he doesn't like it, you can come back and exchange it.
  • 我 要 记 下来 ,万一 忘 了,可以 查 。Wǒ yào jì xiàlái, wànyī wàng le, kěyǐ chá.I need to write it down. In case I forget, I can look it up.
  • 万一 迷路 了,就 用 地图 导航 。 Wànyī mílù le, jiù yòng dìtú dǎoháng.In case you get lost, use the map's GPS navigation.
  • 万一 发生 这种 情况 ,马上 报警 。 Wànyī fāshēng zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng, mǎshàng bàojǐng.In the unlikely event that this happens, call the police immediately.

以防万一(yǐfángwànyī) as "just in case!"

This usage is notably less common than the other two, but if you're looking to sophisticate your Chinese, this is a good leader phrase to know. (Later on you will learn more about what's going on with this .)

  • 北京 现在 特别 冷 ,多 带 几 件 衣服 ,以防万一Běijīng xiànzài tèbié lěng, duō dài jǐ jiàn yīfu, yǐfángwànyī.It's especially cold now in Beijing. You should bring a few more pieces of clothing, just in case.
  • 多 带 点 现金 吧 ,以防万一Duō dài diǎn xiànjīn ba, yǐfángwànyī.Take some extra cash, just in case.
  • 多 买 点 吧 ,以防万一Duō mǎi diǎn ba, yǐfángwànyī.We should buy some more, just in case.

See also

Books

HSK5