要不

How about…?, otherwise; if not

j ɑ ʊ̯ ⁵ ¹ b̥ u ¹
adverb Common #2,270
How about…? Used to make a suggestion, often with the sense “why don’t we…?”
CH: 要不加点娱乐节目?
EN: How about adding some entertainment?

要不我们抓点萤火虫回去吧?

How about we catch some fireflies and take them home?

— 萤火虫之墓 (1988)

要不先到我那儿看看?

Why don't you come over to my place and take a look first?

— 世界 (2004)

好啊,要不我给你买个新的吧?

Sure. How about I buy you a new one?

— 密阳 (2007)

我有事找你母亲商量要不我带节子去看看她吧怎样?

I have something to discuss with your mother. How about I take Setsuko to see her?

— 萤火虫之墓 (1988)

要不咱们吃了饺子再走吧

How about we have some dumplings before we leave?

— 流浪地球 (2019)

要不我拿走

How about I take it?

— 喜剧之王 (1999)

要不这房子直接卖给我们得了

Why not just sell us the house?

— I Am What I Am 2 (2024)

要不你就睡会儿得了

How about you just get some sleep?

— 阳光灿烂的日子 (1994)

要不拿去换米吧?

How about taking it to exchange for rice?

— 萤火虫之墓 (1988)

虽然我-我觉得这里的规矩应该是“你选一首,我选一首”要不你选两首,我选一首?

Although I—I think the rule here should be, “You pick one song, and I pick one.” Or how about you pick two songs and I pick one?

— 爱乐之城 (2016)

要不我们不上车知道吗

Maybe we just won’t get in the car, okay?

— The Captain (2019)

要不你睡床我睡沙发

How about you sleep in the bed and I sleep on the couch?

— 春光乍泄 (1997)

要不给呢?

Or should I just not give it to you?

— 虎口脱险 (1966)

要不我们投降吧

How about we surrender?

— 唐人街探案 (2015)

要不全你选,我不选?

How about you choose everything? I won’t choose anything.

— 爱乐之城 (2016)

那要不先做一套,试一试?

How about making a set first and giving it a try?

— 色‧戒 (2007)

要不这样

How about this?

— 小萝莉的猴神大叔 (2015)

要不我们还是别去了

Maybe we should just not go after all.

— Deep Sea (2023)

要不您坐这不坐这可以

Would you like to sit here? No? This seat is fine.

— 办公室的故事 (1977)

要不你写个报告,让我继续治疗

How about writing a report so I can continue my treatment?

— 无间道 (2002)

要不现在亲热一下?

How about getting intimate now?

— 朱诺 (2007)

“要不加点娱乐节目?”

How about adding some entertainment?

要不你给买一个啊

How about you buy me one?

— 密阳 (2007)

你要不试试看

Why don’t you give it a try?

— Dying to Survive (2018)

要不我们给大家唱一首歌吧?

How about we sing a song for everyone?

— 托尼·厄德曼 (2016)

嗯我明白不过要不这样

Hmm, I understand. But how about this?

— 白丝带 (2009)

要不再考虑考虑

Why don't you think it over a little more?

— Dying to Survive (2018)

要不我把你扔在这吧

How about I leave you here?

— 乔乔的异想世界 (2019)

那要不去尖沙嘴吧!

Then how about going to Tsim Sha Tsui?

— 色‧戒 (2007)

要不这样咱们选一首歌

How about this: let’s pick a song.

— 妈咪 (2014)

要不您把手机号给我

How about giving me your phone number?

— 托尼·厄德曼 (2016)

大伙儿这么高兴你要不先把我给毙了省得我老子发现还得亲自动手!

Everyone’s having such a good time—why don’t you just shoot me now, so my old man doesn’t find out and have to do it himself!

— 色‧戒 (2007)

要不现在放弃吧

Maybe we should give up now.

— 看见恶魔 (2010)

要不我们从后面做?

How about we do it from behind?

— 吾栖之肤 (2011)

要不你继续读然后告诉我这结果?

How about you keep reading and then tell me the result?

— 鬼童院 (2001)

要不我做点什么…

Maybe I could do something…

— 穆那大哥做医生 (2003)

要不我把你那份也吃了吧

How about I eat yours too?

— 乔乔的异想世界 (2019)

老爷跟三太太还没起来要不待会儿再来吧

The master and the Third Mistress aren't up yet. How about coming back later?

— 大红灯笼高高挂 (1991)

要不,就不改吧,我换下来

Maybe I’ll just leave it as it is and change out of it.

— 色‧戒 (2007)

要不一起到车站去?

How about we go to the station together?

要不我不结婚了

Maybe I just won’t get married.

— SoulMate (2016)

要不来一尝尝

Why not come try some?

— Deep Sea (2023)

要不你就别走了

How about you just stay?

— 唐人街探案 (2015)

要不留下来吃晚饭不

How about staying for dinner?

— 白丝带 (2009)

要不我们找时间喝一顿。

How about we find a time to grab a drink?

要不我去开门,你去穿衣服

How about I answer the door while you get dressed?

— 托尼·厄德曼 (2016)

要不叫阿辽沙?

How about Alyosha?

— 镜子 (1975)

要不我把父亲叫下来

How about I call my father down?

— 穆赫兰道 (2001)

要不还是下次吧

Maybe next time.

— 妈咪 (2014)

阿宣要不咱还是变回去吧

Axuan, how about we change back?

— 白蛇:缘起 (2019)

要不把它打下来怎么样?

How about taking it down?

— 自己去看 (1985)

要不下回我再多带一些

Maybe I’ll bring some more next time.

— 色‧戒 (2007)

要不我们不上车

How about we don’t get in?

— The Captain (2019)

要不你就给我刷上去

Why don’t you just brush it on for me?

— 后来的我们 (2018)

adverb Uncommon #7,180
otherwise; if not Introduces what might happen if something is not done or is not the case.
CH: 房上的旧瓦也换了,要不怕下雨漏了。
EN: We replaced the old roof tiles; otherwise, it might leak when it rains.

要不白练了

Otherwise, all that practice will have been for nothing.

— 热辣滚烫 (2024)

要不我就不喝水

Maybe I just won’t drink any water.

— 后来的我们 (2018)

要不怎么把你叫到这来一周都没见你了

Why else would I have called you here? I haven’t seen you in a week.

— 为所应为 (1989)

要不为什么要挡着门呢

Otherwise, why block the door?

— 孤胆特工 (2010)

要不我就是音乐之王

Maybe I’m the king of music.

— 放牛班的春天 (2004)

要不孩子一会儿又醒了

Otherwise, the child might wake up again in a little while.

— Dying to Survive (2018)

要不我砸门了

How about I break down the door?

— 虎口脱险 (1966)

要不我们不做你生意

How about we stop doing business with you?

— 为所应为 (1989)

你要不乐意搬出去住就好了!

If you don't like living here, then just move out!

— 罗马 (2018)

要不我还回来干嘛

Why else would I come back?

— 花样年华 (2000)

要不越睡越糊涂

Maybe the more you sleep, the groggier you get.

— 大红灯笼高高挂 (1991)

要不你家长该打你了

Otherwise, your parents might hit you.

— 阳光灿烂的日子 (1994)

要不又要摔下来了

Otherwise, you'll fall again.

— 虎口脱险 (1966)

要不我这儿就没水了

Otherwise, I’d have no water here.

— 触不可及 (2011)

要不,我就会亲自过来这里拿…

Otherwise, I'll come here and pick it up myself...

— 趣味游戏 (1997)