Definition
不得不 (bù dé bù) means 'have no choice but to' — it emphasizes that external circumstances leave you no alternative. It is stronger than 必须 (must), which simply states an obligation. Among its near-synonyms, 只好 and 只得 are the closest, but 不得不 has a nuance of inevitability (you would avoid it if possible).
adverb
have no choice but tohave to
Examples
- 不得不。Wǒ bù dé bù qù shàngbān.I have no choice but to go to work.
- 不得不。Tā bù dé bù jiēshòu zhège rènwu.He has no choice but to accept this task.
- ,不得不。Yīnwèi tiānqì bù hǎo, wǒmen bù dé bù qǔxiāo lǚxíng.Because the weather is bad, we have no choice but to cancel the trip.
Grammar
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