否则
fǒu zéㄈㄡˇ ㄗㄜˊ
Sino-Vietnamese: PHỦ TẮC
Traditional: 否則
HSK 4HSK 3.0 · 4TOCFL 3
Meaning(conjunction)
otherwise; if not; or (else)
Starts the second clause, stating what happens if the first isn't done.
Examples
快点走，否则要迟到了。
kuài diǎn zǒu, fǒu zé yào chí dào le.
Hurry up, or we'll be late.
你得多穿点，否则会感冒的。
nǐ dé duō chuān diǎn, fǒu zé huì gǎn mào de.
Put on more clothes, otherwise you'll catch a cold.
必须带护照，否则不能登机。
bì xū dài hù zhào, fǒu zé bù néng dēng jī.
You must bring your passport, otherwise you can't board.
Easily confused
- 不然 — Same meaning; 不然 is more colloquial, 否则 slightly more formal and common in writing.
Written with AI, waiting for a teacher's review.
Stroke order
PHỦ · 7 strokes
TẮC · 6 strokes
(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then; (bound form) standard; norm; (bound form) principle; (literary) to imitate; to follow; classifier for writt