必须bì xūmust; to have to
必须 (bì xū) means "must" or "to have to," as in 我们明天必须去学校 (We must go to school tomorrow), 学生必须认真学习 (Students must study seriously) and 你必须告诉我 (You have to tell me). In all three, 必须 means must or to have to. This entry covers this one sense.
What does 必须 mean?
- 1.
must; to have toadverb
What do the characters in 必须 mean?
- 必must
- 须to have to
How do you use 必须?
See it in 我们明天必须去学校, 学生必须认真学习 and 你必须告诉我.
Patterns
必须 + verb
你必须告诉我。
Nǐ bì xū gàosu wǒ.
You have to tell me.
What are some examples of 必须 in a sentence?
How is 必须 used in a conversation?
- Speaker A:
你明天来吗?
Nǐ míngtiān lái ma?
Are you coming tomorrow?
- Speaker B:
我必须来。
Wǒ bìxū lái.
I have to come.
- Speaker A:
为什么?
Wèishénme?
Why?
- Speaker B:
明天有考试。
Míngtiān yǒu kǎoshì.
There is an exam tomorrow.
Can you use 必须 correctly?
0 of 3 answeredWhat should you learn next?
- Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
- HSK 3 word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
- HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.
Related words
- 要yàoto want; to need; to ask forHSK 1
- 应该yīng gāiought to; should; mustHSK 3
- 一定yí dìngsurely; certainly; definitelyHSK 3
- 不必bú bìneed notHSK 4
- 一直yì zhícontinuously; always; all the way throughHSK 3
- 一边yì biāndoing whileHSK 3
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English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.