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非得 (fēi děi) — must, have to, absolutely have to (often in the structure 非得...不可/不行/不成)

Definition

非得 (fēi děi) is a strong, emphatic 'must / absolutely have to' — the speaker insists it has to be done this way. Stronger than 得 and 必须, and the pattern 非得...不可/不行 adds extra emphasis. Colloquial; 务必 is the formal-written counterpart.

adverb
musthave toabsolutely have to (often in the structure 非得...不可/不行/不成)

Examples

  • 非得，。
    Nǐ fēi děi qīn zì qù yí tàng bù kě, fǒu zé jiě jué bù liǎo wèn tí.
    You absolutely have to go yourself; otherwise the problem can't be solved.
  • 非得？
    Tā wèi shén me fēi děi mǎi zhè me guì de shǒu jī?
    Why does he have to buy such an expensive phone?
  • 非得。
    Wǒ jué de nǐ fēi děi xiàn zài jiù cí zhí bù xíng.
    I think you simply must quit right now.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Will & Intention5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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