不能不

bùnéngbù

phrase HSK 5 #13,624

Meanings

Double negative: 'cannot not' = 'must/have to'

HSK 3

这件事我不能不管。

Zhè jiàn shì wǒ bùnéngbù guǎn.

I have to take care of this matter.

HSK 4

你不能不承认他说得有道理。

Nǐ bùnéngbù chéngrèn tā shuō de yǒu dàolǐ.

You have to admit what he said makes sense.

HSK 4

面对这种情况，我不能不担心。

Miànduì zhèzhǒng qíngkuàng, wǒ bùnéngbù dānxīn.

Facing this situation, I cannot help but worry.

grammar

不能不 is a double negative that creates a strong affirmative meaning (must/have to). It's stronger than 必须 because it implies there's no choice.

usage

Similar double-negative patterns: 不得不 (bù dé bù, have no choice but to) and 不可不 (bù kě bù, must - more literary).

不 bù

能 néng