How is 不得不 pronounced?

不得不 is pronounced “bù dé bù” in pinyin.

What HSK level is 不得不?

不得不 belongs to HSK 4 in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

HSK 4d

不得不

bù dé bù

不得不 (bù dé bù) means “have no choice or option but to; cannot but; have to; can't help it; can't avoid”. It is an HSK 4 Chinese word in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

How to write 不得不

Practice each character:

不得

Example

我不得不去。

Wǒ bùdébù qù.

I have to go.

More HSK 4 vocabulary

HSK 4 →

爱情ài qíngromance; love (romantic)安排ān páito arrange; to plan; to set up; arrangements; plans 安全ān quánsafe; secure; safety; security 按时àn shíon time; before deadline; on schedule 按照àn zhàoaccording to; in accordance with; in the light of; on the basis of 百分之bǎi fēn zhīpercent 棒bàngstick; club; cudgel; smart; capable; strong; wonderful; classifier for legs of a relay race 包子bāo zibao (steamed stuffed bun)保护bǎo hùto protect; to defend; to safeguard; protection 保证bǎo zhèngguarantee; to guarantee; to ensure; to safeguard; to pledge 报名bào míngto sign up; to enter one's name; to apply; to register; to enroll; to enlist 抱bàoto hold; to carry (in one's arms); to hug; to embrace; to surround; to cherish; (coll.) (of clothes) to fit nicely

Frequently asked questions

What does 不得不 mean?: 不得不 (bù dé bù) means “have no choice or option but to; cannot but; have to; can't help it; can't avoid”. It is an HSK 4 word.
How is 不得不 pronounced?: 不得不 is pronounced “bù dé bù” in pinyin.
What HSK level is 不得不?: 不得不 belongs to HSK 4 in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary.

Updated: 2026-05-27