exPreSSiNG oBliGatioNS aNd ProhiBitioNS
50.2甭 béng甭 béng is the contraction of 不用 bù yòng. It is used in informal speech.
我们都是自己人。甭那么客气。
我們都是自己人。甭那麼客氣。
Wǒmen dōu shì zìjǐ rén. Béng nàme kèqi.
We are all friends. You don’t have to be so polite.不须/不須 bù xū
去中国以前不须打针。
去中國以前不須打針。
Qù Zhōngguó yǐqián bù xū dǎ zhēn.
Before going to China it is not necessary to get vaccinations.无须/無須 wú xū
这件事无须告诉你父母。
這件事無須告訴你父母。
Zhè jiàn shì wú xū gàosu nǐ fùmǔ.
There is no need to tell your parents about this matter.
(As for this matter, there is no need to tell your parents.)50.1.4 asking questions about obligations
To ask if there is an obligation to do something, use a yes–no question. 吗/嗎 ma questions
can be used with all obligation words.我们得看那本书吗？
我們得看那本書嗎？
Wǒmen děi kàn nà běn shū ma?
Do we have to read that book?
应该/應該 yīnggāi and 应当/應當 yīngdāng can also occur in verb-not-verb questions.我应该不应该给他道歉？
我應該不應該給他道歉？
Wǒ yīnggāi bù yīnggāi gěi tā dàoqiàn?
Do I have to apologize to him?
我应当不应当给他道歉？
我應當不應當給他道歉？
Wǒ yīngdāng bù yīngdāng gěi tā dàoqiàn?
Should I apologize to him?得 děi, 必得 bìděi, and 必须/必須 bìxū cannot occur in verb-not-verb questions.C28.1.250.2 Expressing prohibitions: must not, should not
50.2.1 expressing strong prohibitions: must not
The words used to express strong prohibitions in Mandarin are 不许/不許 bù xǔ ‘must not,’
不要 bù yào ‘don’t,’ and 別 bié ‘don’t.’医院里不许抽烟。
醫院裏不許抽煙。
Yīyuàn lǐ bù xǔ chōu yān.
Smoking is not permitted in the hospital.