非...不可 is an emphatic "must" construction. Literally "not X won't do," it expresses strong necessity or determination.
Strong obligation - Absolutely must do something
Determination - Insisting on doing something
Inevitability - Something that must happen
This matter must be done.
More emphatic than 必须 or 一定要. Often expresses personal insistence.
非 + V + 不可
- The verb goes between 非 and 不可
Variant: 非要...不可
- 非要 adds even more emphasis/insistence
- 他非要去不可 = He absolutely insists on going
Can express stubbornness
- Sometimes implies the speaker thinks the insistence is unnecessary
This matter must be done.
I must go.
He insists on trying it himself.
This problem must be solved.
Find real examples
Discover this pattern in manga, dramas & more
Save for spaced repetition
Add sentences to your study deck
Practice 非...不可 and other grammar patterns with manga, dramas, and more.
Start learning free