Meaning of 要不然
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- otherwise
- or else
- or
How to use 要不然
要不然 links two clauses. The second clause tells you what happens if the first one does not. It is common in speech and often shortened to 要不 (yàobù). Example: 快点走，要不然我们会迟到。(Kuài diǎn zǒu, yàobùrán wǒmen huì chídào.) Hurry up, otherwise we will be late.
Break it into 要 (yào) "if", 不 (bù) "not", and 然 (rán) "so, like this". Together it reads as "if it is not like this", which leads straight to "otherwise".
Common mistake: Learners sometimes put 要不然 at the very start of a sentence with nothing before it. It needs a first clause or situation to refer back to. Also say 不 (bù) with a light fourth tone here. It is not the second tone bú, because 然 is second tone, not fourth.
要不然 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.
要 yào · to want · 9 strokes
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不 bù · no · 4 strokes
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然 rán · certainly · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 要不然.
| 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 |
| 重要 | zhòngyào | important; significant; major |
| 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 |
| 然后 | ránhòu | then; after that; afterwards |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely |
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right |
| 不行 | bùxíng | won't do; be out of the question |
Questions about 要不然
What does 要不然 mean?
要不然 (yàobùrán) means "otherwise; or else" and is used as a conjunction.
How do you write 要不然?
要不然 is made of 3 characters: 要 (9 strokes), 不 (4 strokes), 然 (12 strokes). That is 25 strokes in total.
Is 要不然 an HSK word?
Yes. 要不然 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 要不然 and 否则?
Both mean "otherwise". 否则 (fǒuzé) sounds more formal and written. 要不然 is more relaxed and common in everyday speech.
Can 要不然 be used to make a suggestion?
Yes. At the start of a reply it can mean "or else, how about", as in 要不然我们明天去吧。(Yàobùrán wǒmen míngtiān qù ba.) How about we go tomorrow instead. In this use it offers an alternative plan.