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何必 (hé bì) — (rhetorical adverb) why bother, there is no need

Definition

何必 is a rhetorical adverb meaning 'why bother / there's no need' — it challenges the point of an action the speaker considers unnecessary. Unlike plain 不必 or 无须, it carries a dismissive, questioning tone, closer in feeling to 何苦.

adverb
(rhetorical adverb) why botherthere is no need

Examples

  • ，何必？
    Xiǎo shì yí jiàn, hé bì zhè me rèn zhēn ne?
    It's just a small matter, why be so serious?
  • ，何必？
    Jì rán jià gé chà bu duō, hé bì huàn yì jiā diàn?
    Since the prices are similar, why switch to another store?
  • ，何必？
    Tā yǐ jīng dào qiàn le, nǐ hé bì hái shēng qì ne?
    He already apologized, why are you still angry?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

何héwhy
必bìnecessarily

何 means why and 必 means necessarily, giving the rhetorical sense of why bother.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form of 何 drew a person carrying something on their shoulder. If the carried thing was a 戈, the 人 and 戈 parts together showed that picture.

Open 何 →

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

The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.

Open 必 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5

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