Meaning of 万一
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- just in case
- if by any chance
- contingency
How to use 万一
As a conjunction, 万一 starts a clause about an unlikely but worrying possibility, often paired with 怎么办 or a plan. As a noun it means a contingency, as in 以防万一 (yǐ fáng wànyī, just in case). Example: 万一下雨，我们就在家吃饭。(Wànyī xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù zài jiā chīfàn.) If by any chance it rains, we will eat at home.
万 (wàn) means ten thousand and 一 (yī) means one, so 万一 is one chance out of ten thousand. It names the rare, unlikely case you still want to prepare for.
Common mistake: Learners often use 万一 as a neutral "if" in place of 如果 (rúguǒ). 万一 suggests something unlikely and usually unwanted, so 万一你有空 sounds odd when you simply mean "if you are free." Also note the tone change. 一 is pronounced yí before fourth tone in many words, but in 万一 it comes last and keeps its first tone: wànyī.
万一 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
万 wàn · ten thousand · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
一 yī · one · 1 strokes
- 1
Related words
Words that share a character with 万一.
| 一起 | yīqǐ | (in) the same place; together; in company (with) |
| 一样 | yīyàng | same; like |
| 一些 | yīxiē | some; a few; a little; (following an adjective) slightly ...er |
| 一会儿 | yīhuìr | a moment; a while |
| 一半 | yībàn | half |
| 一边 | yībiān | one side; either side |
| 一点儿 | yīdiǎnr | erhua variant of 一點|一点[yi1 dian3] |
| 一块儿 | yīkuàir | erhua variant of 一塊|一块[yi1 kuai4] |
| 一下儿 | yīxiàr | erhua form of 一下[yi1 xia4] |
| 有一些 | yǒuyīxiē | somewhat; rather |
| 一定 | yīdìng | surely; certainly; definitely; fixed; settled |
| 一直 | yīzhí | straight (in a straight line); continuously; always; all the way through |
Questions about 万一
What does 万一 mean?
万一 (wànyī) means "just in case; if by any chance" and is used as a noun and conjunction.
How do you write 万一?
万一 is made of 2 characters: 万 (3 strokes), 一 (1 strokes). That is 4 strokes in total.
Is 万一 an HSK word?
Yes. 万一 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 万一 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 万一 is written 萬一.
What is the difference between 万一 and 如果?
如果 is a general "if" for any condition. 万一 stresses that the situation is unlikely and often something bad, like "in the unlikely event that." For example, 万一他不来呢？ means "What if he doesn't come?"
How do you say "just in case" in Chinese?
A common set phrase is 以防万一 (yǐ fáng wànyī), meaning to guard against the unlikely case. Example: 带把伞，以防万一。(Dài bǎ sǎn, yǐ fáng wànyī.) Bring an umbrella, just in case.