(chú fēi) - unless, only if in Mandarin
chúfēiTraditional: 除非
HSK 5
#806 of 5,000 Core 1000
Translation
unless, only if
Word origin
The word 除非 combines 除 'to remove, except' with 非 'not, non-'. 除 is 阜 (mound radical) + 余 (yú) phonetic; 非 is a pictograph of two wings facing apart, used for negation. Together they express 'unless, only if'.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 除 (chú, except: 阜 mound + 余 phonetic) + 非 (fēi, not)
Stroke order
除
非
Examples
,。
Unless you apologize, I won't forgive you.
雨,。
Unless it rains, we will go hiking.
,。
He won't come unless you invite him.
雨,。
Unless it rains, we will all go.
,。
Only if you apologise will I forgive you.
除非 (chú fēi) means unless, only if. It is used as a conjunction in everyday Mandarin speech.
Used in
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Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 17.