English–Chinese
“if it weren't for” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinyào bù shì
Example
要不是他帮忙，我做不完。yào bú shì tā bāng máng wǒ zuò bù wán
If it weren't for his help, I couldn't finish it.
How to say “if it weren't for” in Chinese
“If it weren't for” in Chinese is 要不是 (yào bù shì).
An important support is imagined as absent, revealing how the outcome depends on it.
Example sentences with 要不是
要不是她坚持，我们不会成功。yào bú shì tā jiān chí wǒ men bú huì chéng gōng
If it weren't for her persistence, we wouldn't have succeeded.
Tips for using 要不是
- The pattern is common when a speaker gives credit to a person or circumstance, and it can also mark regret about what would otherwise have happened.