HSK 7-9
非得
fēiděi
Must; have to; insist on
Structure
Subject + 非得 + Verb Phrase / (非得 ... 不可)
How it works
The construction '非得' is used to emphasize that something is absolutely necessary or that someone is stubbornly insistent on a particular course of action. It often carries a tone of persistence, compulsion, or a slight sense of annoyance from the speaker's perspective.
Examples
他非得要在下大雨的时候出门。
Tā fēiděi yào zài xià dàyǔ de shíhou chūmén.
He insisted on going out while it was raining heavily.
这件事情非得由你亲自出面解决不可。
Zhè jiàn shìqing fēiděi yóu nǐ qīnzì chūmiàn jiějué bùkě.
This matter must be resolved by you appearing in person.
如果你非得要辞职，我也拦不住你。
Rúguǒ nǐ fēiděi yào cízhí, wǒ yě lán bú zhù nǐ.
If you insist on resigning, I can't stop you.
Common mistakes
Confusing '非得' (fēiděi) with '必须' (bìxū); while both mean 'must', '非得' often implies a subjective persistence or an 'insistence' that might seem unreasonable or unnecessary to others.
Tip
Pair '非得' with '不可' (非得...不可) at the end of the sentence to significantly strengthen the tone of necessity or determination.
More HSK 7-9 grammar
See 非得 in real Chinese
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