不得不 (bùdébù) — Have no choice but to / must
HSK 4 | adverb | expressing reluctant necessity
不得不 (bùdébù)
不得不 expresses that someone has no alternative but to do something, conveying a sense of reluctant necessity or compulsion.
Meanings
- [adverb] have no choice but to; cannot but; must (reluctantly)
Example Sentences
下雨了，我不得不取消野餐计划。 Xià yǔ le, wǒ bùdébù qǔxiāo yěcān jìhuà. It rained, so I had no choice but to cancel the picnic plan.
因为生病，他不得不请假。 Yīnwèi shēngbìng, tā bùdébù qǐngjià. Because he was sick, he had no choice but to take time off.
交通堵塞，我不得不迟到了。 Jiāotōng dǔsè, wǒ bùdébù chídào le. Due to traffic, I had no choice but to be late.
公司关闭了，很多员工不得不找新工作。 Gōngsī guānbì le, hěn duō yuángōng bùdébù zhǎo xīn gōngzuò. The company closed, and many employees had no choice but to look for new jobs.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 不得不做 | have no choice but to do |
| 不得不承认 | have to admit (reluctantly) |
| 不得不放弃 | have no choice but to give up |
| 不得不接受 | have to accept (unwillingly) |
Usage Notes
不得不 always precedes a verb and implies the speaker wishes they did not have to do the action. It is stronger than 要 or 必须 because it emphasizes lack of alternatives. Compare with 必须 (must, due to obligation) — 不得不 stresses external pressure or unavoidable circumstances.
Memory Hook
Three negatives stacked: 不 (not) + 得 (able/allowed) + 不 (not) = "cannot not do it" = forced to do it.