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[](# "wikilink")
Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"
===================================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGDFQP7)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Suggestions with
"ba"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Suggestions_with_%22ba%22) (A1)
- [Expressing "or" in
statements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22or%22_in_statements) (A2)
- [Expressing "had better" with
"haishi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22had_better%22_with_%22haishi%22) (B1)
- [Expressing good luck with
"haihao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_good_luck_with_%22haihao%22) (B1)
- [Expressing "unless" with
"chufei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22unless%22_with_%22chufei%22) (B2)
-
Used for
[Giving
alternatives](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Giving_alternatives),
[Indicating cause and
effect](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Indicating_cause_and_effect)
-
Keywords
[吧](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%90%A7),
[要不](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A6%81%E4%B8%8D)
-
Translations
[otherwise](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Otherwise),
[either](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Either),
[or](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Or), [how
about](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_about)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-Ba.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [3 Multiple
Meanings](#Multiple_Meanings "wikilink")
- [4 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [5 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [5.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
Reason / Situation ，要不 + Suggestion
or
要不 + Suggestion ，Reason / Situation
Examples
-------------------------------------------------------
- 大家 都 有点 累 了，*要不* 休息 一会儿 **吧**
。Everyone is a little tired.
Let's rest for a while.
- *要不* 我们 一起 去 **吧** ，一个人 去 没 意思
。How about we go together? It's no
fun to go by myself.
- 这个 星期 我 比较 忙 ，*要不* 下 个 星期 见
？I'm pretty busy this week.
How about we meet up next week?
- *要不* 我们 换 个 地方 **吧** ，这里 太 吵 了
。How about we go to somewhere
else? It's too loud here.
- *要不* 你 先 走 **吧** ，我 还没 做完 。How about you go first? I haven't
finished yet.
- 下雨 了，*要不* 明天 去 **吧** 。It's raining.
How about we go tomorrow?
- 这么 远 ，*要不* 我 开车 送 你 去 ？It's so far.
How about I drive you there?
Multiple Meanings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
When 要不 (yàobù) is used to mean
"[otherwise](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Otherwise),”
it's a shortened form of 要不然 (yàobùrán), which literally means "if
that's not the case."
Note 要不 (yàobù) can also be used to offer "either/or" choices to
others, similar to
\[
- 你 先 吃 吧 ，*要 不然* 饭 就 凉 了 。You
should eat; otherwise, the food gets cold.
- 打车 吧 ，*要不* 会 迟到 的 。You should take a taxi;
otherwise, you'll be late.
- 快 回家 吧 ，*要不* 你 爸妈 会 担心 的 。Hurry up. Go home, or your parents
will start to worry.
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- ["Or" in
statements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Or%22_in_statements)
- [Suggestions with
"ba"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Suggestions_with_%22ba%22)
- [Expressing "had better" with
"haishi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22had_better%22_with_%22haishi%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [Home With
Kids1 (家有儿女1)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Home_With_Kids1_(%E5%AE%B6%E6%9C%89%E5%84%BF%E5%A5%B31)) (pp.
50)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%AE%B6%E6%9C%89%E5%84%BF%E5%A5%B31-%E5%88%98%E7%AB%8B%E6%96%B0/dp/B0020MLDO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347862139&sr=8-1)
- [BRIDGE
(桥梁 实用汉语中级教程下)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/BRIDGE_(%E6%A1%A5%E6%A2%81_%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7%E6%95%99%E7%A8%8B%E4%B8%8B)) (pp.
187)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B003AKZFF2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B003AKZFF2&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-23)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1) (pp.
123-4) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2fdV2l3)
- [卓越汉语－公司实战篇](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87) (pp.
166-7) \[ →buy\]
- [HSK Standard Course
5上](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_Standard_Course_5%E4%B8%8A) (pp.
66) [→buy](https://amzn.to/2rwwnu1)
[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
- [Prepositions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Category:Prepositions&action=edit&redlink=1)
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