除非

chúfēi

conjunction HSK 5 #730

Meanings

1 unless; only if
2 except that

Characters

to remove; except

not; wrong; unless

Except if not — unless.

Examples

除非下雨，否则我们照常出发。

Chúfēi xià yǔ, fǒuzé wǒmen zhàocháng chūfā.

Unless it rains, we'll set off as planned.

除非你亲自去，不然他不会相信。

Chúfēi nǐ qīnzì qù, bùrán tā bú huì xiāngxìn.

Unless you go in person, he won't believe it.

我不会去，除非你也去。

Wǒ bú huì qù, chúfēi nǐ yě qù.

I won't go unless you go too.

除非有特殊情况，会议不会取消。

Chúfēi yǒu tèshū qíngkuàng, huìyì bú huì qǔxiāo.

Unless there are special circumstances, the meeting won't be canceled.

Tips

grammar

除非 is often paired with 否则 (fǒuzé, otherwise), 不然 (bùrán, otherwise), or 才 (cái, only then). Pattern: 除非 A, 否则 B = 'Unless A, then B.' Or: B, 除非 A = 'B, unless A.'

usage

除非 states a necessary condition. It's stronger than 如果 (rúguǒ, if). 除非 implies 'only under this one condition' while 如果 is a general 'if.'

Stroke Order

除 chú

非 fēi