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要不是 (yào bú shì) — if it were not for; but for

Definition

要不是 introduces a counterfactual reason ('if it weren't for / but for'), usually paired with 就 to state the opposite outcome. Unlike 否则/不然, which warn of a consequence, 要不是 looks back at the cause that almost changed things.

conjunction
if it were not forbut for

Examples

  • 要不是，。
    yào bú shì Nǐ tí xǐng wǒ, wǒ jiù wàng le.
    If it weren't for your reminder, I would have forgotten.
  • 要不是，。
    yào bú shì Tiān qì bù hǎo, wǒ men jiù qù hǎi biān le.
    If it weren't for the bad weather, we would have gone to the beach.
  • 要不是，。
    yào bú shì Nǐ jiè qián gěi wǒ, wǒ mǎi bù liǎo zhè běn shū.
    If it weren't for you lending me money, I couldn't buy this book.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5

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