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无须 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
无须wúxūneed notHSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #14476, Very Hard
无须wúxūnot obliged toHSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #14476, Very Hard
无须wúxūnot necessarilyHSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #14476, Very Hard
wúxū(wu2xu1)wu xu T2
  1. 1need not
  2. 2not obliged to
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March 24, 2026

无须(無須)wúxū(wu2xu1)

无须 (wú xū) means 'need not' or 'not obliged to.' It is commonly used to express that something is unnecessary or that someone is not required to do something, often in both formal and informal contexts.

Strokes13Frequency#14476DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of obligation is often nuanced, and using 无须 can reflect a sense of politeness or consideration for others' time or effort, as it suggests that one does not need to go out of their way.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'no entry' sign (无) at a gate where 'need' (须) is crossed out. This evokes the idea of being free from obligations or requirements, reinforcing the pronunciation 'wú xū' as you visualize the gate.

Meanings of 无须

wúxū(wu2xu1)
1need not
2not obliged to
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 无须

无须Simplified
無須Traditional
13Strokes
—Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 无须

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AI Study Notes for 无须

Quick Contrast

无需 (wú xū) vs 不必 (bù bì) — use 无须 for a more formal tone, while 不必 is more casual.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 无须 with other negations like 不必 (bù bì), which also means 'need not' but is less formal. It's important to use 无须 in appropriate contexts, especially in written forms or formal conversations.

HSK Study Tips

Although 无须 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners at HSK 5-6 levels. Students should focus on its contextual usage alongside other similar phrases like 不必 and 没必要 (méi bì yào).

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 无须 in casual conversations where 不必 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '你无须担心' (nǐ wú xū dān xīn) sounds overly formal; '你不必担心' (nǐ bù bì dān xīn) is more natural.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 无须

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Component Characters

无wú-less
HSK 44 strokes无
View full entry
须xūmust
HSK 79 strokes彡
View full entry

How to say need not in Chinese

“need not” in Chinese is无须wúxū

无须 (wú xū) means 'need not' or 'not obliged to.' It is commonly used to express that something is unnecessary or that someone is not required to do something, often in both formal and informal contexts.

When to use 无须

Learners often confuse 无须 with other negations like 不必 (bù bì), which also means 'need not' but is less formal. It's important to use 无须 in appropriate contexts, especially in written forms or formal conversations.

无须 or something close to it

无需 (wú xū) vs 不必 (bù bì) — use 无须 for a more formal tone, while 不必 is more casual.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 无须 in casual conversations where 不必 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '你无须担心' (nǐ wú xū dān xīn) sounds overly formal; '你不必担心' (nǐ bù bì dān xīn) is more natural.

Write 无须

无
须

Practice writing 无须 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 无须

无须 is more commonly found in written Chinese but can also be used in formal spoken contexts.

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