HSK 5
何必
hébì
why bother
Structure
何必 + (Subject) + Verb / Adjective + (呢)？
How it works
"何必" is an adverb used to form rhetorical questions, suggesting that an action is unnecessary or that there is no need for a certain situation. It literally means "why must" and conveys a tone of persuasion or mild criticism, implying that the speaker believes the alternative or doing nothing is better.
Examples
既然你这么忙，何必为了这点小事亲自跑一趟呢？
Jìrán nǐ zhème máng, hébì wèile zhè diǎn xiǎoshì qīnzì pǎo yī tàng ne?
Since you are so busy, why bother making a trip in person for such a small matter?
大家都是好朋友，何必为了一点误会就生气呢？
Dàjiā dōu shì hǎo péngyǒu, hébì wèile yīdiǎn wùhuì jiù shēngqì ne?
Everyone is a good friend, why bother getting angry over a little misunderstanding?
这只是个小玩笑，你何必当真。
Zhè zhǐshì gè xiǎo wánxiào, nǐ hébì dàngzhēn.
This is just a small joke, why take it so seriously?
Common mistakes
Do not use '何必' in a normal interrogative question asking for a reason; use '为什么' instead. '何必' is only for rhetorical questions where the answer is 'it's not necessary'.
Tip
To sound like a native speaker, add the particle '呢' at the end of the sentence to soften the tone of the rhetorical question.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 何必 in real Chinese
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