Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

50

expressing obligations and

prohibitions

50.1 Expressing obligations

50.1.1 expressing strong obligations: must

Here are the words used to express ‘strong obligations’ in Mandarin, with sentences illustrating

their use. All of these words can be translated with the English word ‘must.’

得 děi

明天你得早点儿起来。

明天你得早點兒起來。

Míngtiān nǐ děi zǎo diǎr qǐlái.

You have to get up earlier tomorrow morning.

必得 bìděi

你必得按时来上课。

你必得按時來上課。

Nǐ bìděi ànshí lái shàng kè.

You must come to class on time.

必须/必須 bìxū

去中国以前你必须申请签证。

去中國以前你必須申請簽証。

Qù Zhōngguó yǐqián nǐ bìxū shēnqǐng qiānzhèng.

Before you go to China, you must apply for a visa.

必得 bìděi and 必须/必須 bìxū are more formal and stronger than 得 děi. 必须/必須 bìxū is

also used in legal pronouncements and in other formal spoken and written contexts.

经济合同用货币履行义务时，... 必须用人民币计算和支付。

經濟合同用貨幣履行義務時，... 必須用人民幣計算和支付。

Jīngjì hétóng yòng huòbì lǚxíng yìwù shí,... bìxū yòng rénmínbì jìsuàn hé zhīfù.

When economic contracts provide for the performance of obligations through

money,... Rénminbi must be used for calculating and paying obligations.

C12.4.1

50.1.2 expressing ‘weak’ social and moral obligations: should, shall, ought to

Here are the words used in Mandarin to express the kind of ‘weak obligations’ associated with

the English words ‘should’ and ‘ought to,’ with sentences illustrating their use. In Mandarin,

these words are also used to express moral obligations such as the responsibilities of parents

to children or children to parents, and social obligations involving the things that a good person

should do.