Skip to content

否则

fǒu zé
HSK 2.0 Level 4 HSK 3.0 Level 4 Conjunction Very common

Definitions

  1. 1. otherwise; if not; or (else)

Stop forgetting what you study. Build recall daily.

Try HanyuGuide's Chinese review system with multiple choice, typed recall, tone-aware practice, and reviews scheduled before memory fades.

Get Yearly · $49.99 / year

Sign up with Google
Continue with Email

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Try a practice session

Word relationships

Related words

2 items
如果
rú guǒ

if

The conjunction 'if', which appears in the conditional clause that 否则 refers back to.
假如
jiǎ rú

if

A formal or literary equivalent of 如果 ('if'), pairing with 否则 in conditional sentences.

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Don't use 否则 directly after a subject. It starts a new clause: 你必须努力，否则会失败 (✓), not 你否则会失败 (✗).

Formality

否则 is formal and common in writing; in casual speech, 不然 or 要不 are preferred.

Grammar

Guides that feature 否则

Jump into a full guide with fill-in-the-blank drills. Clicking will load the page and move you to the top.

3 guides
HSK 2.0 Level 4+ HSK 3.0 Level 4+ 6 min
...，否则... and 要不然 for “Otherwise”

Use 否则, 要不然 and 不然 to say what will happen if something doesn’t.

Reading: fǒu zé Open guide
HSK 2.0 Level 5+ HSK 3.0 Level 7–9+ 5 min
幸亏...，不然... for “Luckily …, Otherwise …”

Use 幸亏 or 幸好 with 不然 or 否则 to say that something lucky happened and saved you from a worse result.

Reading: fǒu zé Open guide
HSK 2.0 Level 4+ HSK 3.0 Level 6+ 6 min
除非...，否则/不然... for “Unless …, Otherwise …”

除非 names the only condition that works, and 否则 or 不然 says what will happen if it is not met: 除非你提前报名，否则不能参加.

Reading: fǒu zé Open guide

Example Sentences

3 shown
除非下雨， 否则 我们会去公园。
Unless it rains, otherwise we will go to the park.
你必须早点起床， 否则 会迟到。
You must get up early, otherwise you'll be late.
必须先核实数据， 否则 结论可能不可靠。
We must verify the data first; otherwise, the conclusion may be unreliable.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 否则

则
zé

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

否
fǒu

to negate

否
pǐ

clogged