Meaning of 不必
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- need not
- does not have to
- not necessarily
How to use 不必
不必 goes before a verb to say an action is unnecessary, and it often sounds a little more formal or written than 不用 (bùyòng). Example: 你不必担心。(Nǐ bùbì dānxīn.) You don't need to worry.
不必 combines 不 (bù, not) with 必 (bì, must, certainly). Something that is "not a must" is something you need not do.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 不必 to mean "must not," but it only means "need not." To forbid something, use 不要 (bùyào) or 不能 (bù néng). Also note that 不 keeps its fourth tone here because 必 is fourth tone too, so it stays bù. The tone change to bú only happens in fixed words like 不客气 (bú kèqi).
不必 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.
不 bù · no · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
必 bì · certainly · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 不必.
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint |
| 是不是 | shì bu shì | is or is not (used to form yes-no questions) |
| 不用 | bùyòng | need not |
| 不大 | bù dà | not very (clear, far away etc); not too; not often; infrequently |
| 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; wrong |
| 不客气 | bù kèqì | you're welcome; don't mention it |
| 不要 | bùyào | don't!; must not |
| 必须 | bìxū | must; to have to |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely |
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right |
| 不行 | bùxíng | won't do; be out of the question |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct |
Questions about 不必
What does 不必 mean?
不必 (bùbì) means "need not; does not have to" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 不必?
不必 is made of 2 characters: 不 (4 strokes), 必 (5 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 不必 an HSK word?
Yes. 不必 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 不必 and 不用?
Both mean "need not," and they are often interchangeable. 不用 is more common in casual speech. 不用 can also stand alone as a polite reply, as in 不用，谢谢 (Bùyòng, xièxie), "No need, thanks."
Is 不必 the opposite of 必须?
Yes, in meaning. 必须 (bìxū) means "must," and the usual way to negate it is 不必 or 不用, not 不必须. For example, 你必须来 means "you must come," and 你不必来 means "you don't have to come."