HSK 5
非
fēi
to insist on
Structure
Subject + 非(要) + Verb Phrase (+ 不可)
How it works
In HSK 5, '非' (fēi) is often used as an adverb to express insistence, persistence, or a strong determination to do something, often despite opposition or difficulties. It is frequently followed by '要' (yào) or '不可' (bù kě) to emphasize that an action must happen or a result must be achieved.
Examples
既然他非走不可，我们就别拦着了。
Jìrán tā fēi zǒu bùkě, wǒmen jiù bié lánzhe le.
Since he insists on leaving, let's not stop him.
外面雨这么大，你非要现在出去吗？
Wàimiàn yǔ zhème dà, nǐ fēi yào xiànzài chūqù ma?
It's raining so hard outside, do you really insist on going out now?
为了买到那个手机，他非排三个小时的队不可。
Wèile mǎi dào nàge shǒujī, tā fēi pái sān gè xiǎoshí de duì bùkě.
In order to buy that phone, he insisted on queueing for three hours.
Common mistakes
Students often forget to include '要' or '不可' when using '非' to mean 'insist'. Using '非' alone can sometimes imply 'not' or 'non-' (like in 非法), so context and structure are vital.
Tip
Think of '非...不可' as a 'must-have' structure for expressing stubbornness. If someone is being difficult or very determined, this is the perfect grammar tool.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 非 in real Chinese
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