不得不 bù dé bù
“have no choice or option but to; cannot but; have to”
adverbHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
不得不 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1045: 不得不 bùdébù — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 106
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 不得不
不得不 means "have to" or "be forced to" do something because there is no other choice. It comes after the subject and before a verb phrase (不得不 + verb), and it usually suggests the speaker is not happy about it.
例句Example sentences
- 今天下大雨，我不得不带伞。jīn tiān xià dà yǔ, wǒ bù dé bú dài sǎn.It's raining hard today, so I have to take an umbrella.
- 我的车坏了，不得不坐公交车上班。wǒ de chē huài le, bù dé bú zuò gōng jiāo chē shàng bān.My car broke down, so I had to take the bus to work.
- 他生病了，不得不请假在家休息。tā shēng bìng le, bù dé bù qǐng jià zài jiā xiū xi.He got sick and had no choice but to take leave and rest at home.