不可不 (bù kě bù) — must; have to (emphatic, formal)

Definition

不可不 is a formal, emphatic double negative meaning 'must' — stronger than 得 and used in writing or speeches. It precedes a verb: 不可不 + V.

verb

musthave to (emphatic, formal)

不可不。
Zhè ge wèn tí bù kě bù jiě jué.
This problem must be resolved.
不可不。
Nǐ bù kě bù xiǎo xīn duì dài.
You must handle it carefully.
不可不。
Zhè jiàn shì bù kě bù gào sù dà jiā.
We have to tell everyone about this matter.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丂

丂kǎo可kě

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.