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LEARN + CHINESE / 241 of 300 HSK 7–9

Why Bother? 何必

“Why buy another umbrella?” 何必再买一把伞？ If the lights are on but no one answers, 莫非他们出门了？ 按说 gives the usual expectation—“normally, this should work.” These words let you question, guess, or measure what happened against what you expected.

Ask Whether It Is Worth Doing

何必 often appears in a rhetorical question. The speaker already thinks the action is unnecessary, so the question challenges the reason for doing it.

既然都知道了，何必再问？
jìrán dōu zhīdào le， hébì zài wèn？
Since you already know, why bother asking again?
Hint · 힌트
何必 is not a neutral request for information. It usually carries the view that there is no need.

Float a Possible Explanation

莫非 introduces a guess, often in a question: “could it be that…?” The speaker has noticed a clue but is not certain.

莫非他忘了？
mòfēi tā wàng le?
Could it be that he forgot?
Hint · 힌트
莫非 presents a possibility, not a fact.

State What Should Normally Be True

按说 means “normally” or “by rights.” It sets up an expectation, which the next clause may confirm or show to be wrong.

按说这件事不该发生。
ànshuō zhè jiàn shì bù gāi fāshēng.
This should not have happened, under normal circumstances.
Hint · 힌트
按说 often signals a contrast between the expected situation and what actually happened.
In Real Life
按说 gives the expected baseline, 莫非 turns a clue into a tentative guess, and 何必 questions whether an action is needed at all.

Vocabulary

ChineseEnglish
ànshuō
in the ordinary course of events
zhèngcháng
normal; regular
běnlái
original; originally
yīnggāi
should; ought to
fāshēng
to happen; occur
shìqing
matter; thing
zhīdào
to know
wèn
to ask
zài
again
wàngjì
to forget
kěnéng
possible; maybe
yǐwéi
to think (wrongly)
jiěshì
to explain
yùliào
to anticipate; expectation
jiéguǒ
result; as a result
xūyào
to need; need
bùyòng
no need to
wèishénme
why
cāi
to guess
qíngkuàng
situation; circumstances

YOUR PROGRESS

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