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不得已 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
不得已
bùdéyǐ
to act against one's will
HSK 7, d, 18 strokes, rank #10156, Very Hard
不得已
bùdéyǐ
to have no alternative but to
HSK 7, d, 18 strokes, rank #10156, Very Hard
不得已
bùdéyǐ
to have to
HSK 7, d, 18 strokes, rank #10156, Very Hard
不得已
bùdéyǐ
to have no choice
HSK 7, d, 18 strokes, rank #10156, Very Hard
不得已
bùdéyǐ
must
HSK 7, d, 18 strokes, rank #10156, Very Hard
bùdéyǐ(bu4de2yi3)bu de yi T4
1to act against one's will
2to have no alternative but to
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March 24, 2026
不得已bùdéyǐ(bu4de2yi3)
不得已 (bù dé yǐ) means to act against one's will or to have no alternative but to take a certain action. It is commonly used when someone feels compelled to do something they would prefer not to, often due to circumstances beyond their control.
Strokes18Frequency#10156DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of duty and obligation often overrides personal preference, making 不得已 a relevant phrase in discussions about family responsibilities or societal expectations.
Memory tip
Imagine a person standing at a crossroads with a sign pointing to 'No Choice' (不得已) on one path and 'Preferred Path' on the other. The character 不 (bù) represents 'no,' 得 (dé) suggests 'to obtain' or 'to get,' and 已 (yǐ) implies 'already,' collectively illustrating that one cannot obtain their preferred choice.
Meanings of 不得已
bùdéyǐ(bu4de2yi3)
1to act against one's will
2to have no alternative but to
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 不得已
不得已Simplified
18Strokes
—Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#10156Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 不得已
Podcast: 不得已
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AI study notes for 不得已
Quick Contrast
不得已 (bùdéyǐ) vs 无奈 (wúnài) — use 不得已 when emphasizing a lack of choice due to circumstances, while 无奈 conveys a sense of helplessness or resignation.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 不得已 with similar expressions like 必须 (bìxū), which means 'must' without the nuance of unwillingness. It is more commonly used in formal contexts and literature, so ensure you match the register appropriately.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 不得已 connects with other advanced vocabulary expressing obligation or necessity. Focus on its usage in complex sentences and practice distinguishing it from other phrases that convey similar meanings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 不得已 in casual conversation where simpler expressions would suffice. For example, saying '我不得已去商店' (wǒ bù dé yǐ qù shāngdiàn) is awkward; instead, use '我必须去商店' (wǒ bìxū qù shāngdiàn) for 'I have to go to the store.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 不得已
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“to act against one's will” in Chinese is不得已bùdéyǐ
不得已 (bù dé yǐ) means to act against one's will or to have no alternative but to take a certain action. It is commonly used when someone feels compelled to do something they would prefer not to, often due to circumstances beyond their control.
When to use 不得已
Be careful not to confuse 不得已 with similar expressions like 必须 (bìxū), which means 'must' without the nuance of unwillingness. It is more commonly used in formal contexts and literature, so ensure you match the register appropriately.
不得已 or something close to it
不得已 (bùdéyǐ) vs 无奈 (wúnài) — use 不得已 when emphasizing a lack of choice due to circumstances, while 无奈 conveys a sense of helplessness or resignation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 不得已 in casual conversation where simpler expressions would suffice. For example, saying '我不得已去商店' (wǒ bù dé yǐ qù shāngdiàn) is awkward; instead, use '我必须去商店' (wǒ bìxū qù shāngdiàn) for 'I have to go to the store.'
Write 不得已
不
得
已
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Grammar patterns of 不得已
不得已 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
只有在万____的情况下才允许使用抗生素。
The use of antibiotics is permitted only in extremis.
