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不能不 (bù néng bù) — have to; cannot but; must

Definition

不能不 (bù néng bù) means 'cannot not do / have to' — a double negative that softens the obligation versus 必须. Use when a situation forces the action, not for personal duty like 得.

verb
have tocannot butmust

Examples

  • 不能不，。
    Wǒ bù néng bù qù cān jiā nà ge huì yì, yīn wèi hěn zhòng yào.
    I have to go to that meeting because it's very important.
  • 不能不。
    Tā bù néng bù chéng rèn zì jǐ fàn le cuò wù.
    He cannot but admit that he made a mistake.
  • ，不能不。
    Jīng jì qíng kuàng zhè me chà, gōng sī bù néng bù kǎo lǜ cái yuán.
    With the economy this bad, the company has to consider layoffs.

Origin

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.

Open 不 →

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →

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.

Open 不 →
Appears in
Will & Intention

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