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不得不

bù dé bù
HSK 2.0 Level 4 HSK 3.0 Level 4 Adverb Common

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Definitions

  1. 1. have no choice or option but to
  2. 2. cannot but
  3. 3. have to
  4. 4. can't help it
  5. 5. can't avoid

Word relationships

Related words

2 items
必须
bì xū

to have to

must; have to (generally obligatory)
难免
nán miǎn

hard to avoid

hard to avoid; inevitable

Usage notes

Common mistakes

不得不 emphasizes a reluctant, unavoidable choice, while 必须 indicates a general obligation or requirement.

Formality

不得不 is slightly more formal and is more common in written Chinese, whereas 没法不 is more colloquial.

Example Sentences

4 shown
我 不得不 去。
I have no choice but to go.
由于丑闻，他 不得不 下台。
Due to the scandal, he had to step down.
在权威面前，他 不得不 俯首。
He had to bow his head before authority.
由于经济衰退，公司 不得不 裁员。
Due to the economic recession, the company had to lay off employees.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 不得不

不
bù

no; not so

得
dé

to obtain

得
de

structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc

得
děi

to have to

不得
bù dé

must not