要不
Old HSK 5
要不 (yàobù) · otherwise
要不 (yàobù) means “otherwise; or else; how about”. It is written with 2 characters: 要 (to want) + 不 (not). It is an old HSK 5 word (HSK 2.0).
How 要不 is built
The characters
要 yào · to want
What 要 is made of
- 覀xī — west
- 女nǚ — woman
Origin hint: A woman 女 with hands on her waist 覀 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
不 bù · not
What 不 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A bird flying toward the sky 一 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
快走吧，要不就迟到了。Kuài zǒu ba, yàobù jiù chídào le.Hurry up, otherwise we'll be late.
要不我们明天再去吧。Yàobù wǒmen míngtiān zài qù ba.How about we go tomorrow instead?
Questions about 要不
What does 要不 mean?
要不 (yàobù) means “otherwise; or else; how about”.
How do you pronounce 要不?
要不 is pronounced yàobù.
Which HSK level is 要不?
要不 is in Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 重要zhòngyàoimportant
- 不要bùyàodon't
- 就要jiùyàoto be about to
- 快要kuàiyàoto be about to
- 要求yāoqiúto ask
- 只要zhǐyàoas long as
- 主要zhǔyàomain
- 必要bìyàonecessary
- 需要xūyàoto need
- 要是yàoshiif
Learn 要不 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 5 · Group 110: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.