否则 (fǒu zé) — otherwise; if not; or in Mandarin
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#1088 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
否则 is pronounced fǒu zé. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Nǐ yào nǔlì xuéxí, fǒuzé huì shībài.
You must study hard, otherwise you will fail.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 否则 mean?+
否则 (fǒu zé) means "otherwise; if not; or" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 否则?+
否则 is pronounced fǒu zé. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping), then the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 否则 in Mandarin?+
否则 is the #1088 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 否则 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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