HSK 5 grammar · new HSK syllabus
没有…就没有… and 不…不…: compact conditions
没有你就没有今天的我; 不见不散 (won’t leave till we meet); 再忙也要吃饭.
Structure
- 没有 A 就没有 B
- 不 A 不 B
- 再 + adjective + 也 + …
How it works
没有 A 就没有 B says A is necessary for B: 没有努力，就没有成功.
不 A 不 B can mean “if not A, then not B”: 不见不散 = we won’t leave until we meet.
再…也… means “no matter how…”: 再忙也要吃早饭.
Examples
-
没有大家的帮助，就没有今天的成功。
Without everyone’s help, today’s success wouldn’t have happened.
-
明天下午三点，不见不散。
Tomorrow at three — I’ll wait for you.
-
工作再忙，也要注意身体。
However busy work gets, look after your health.
-
这件事不说不行了。
I have to say something about this.
-
你再着急也没用。
Getting anxious won’t help.
Words in these examples (30)
| 没有 | méiyǒu | not have; there isn't; did not | HSK 1 |
| 大家 | dàjiā | everyone | HSK 1 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 帮助 | bāngzhù | to help; help | HSK 3 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 成功 | chénggōng | to succeed; success | HSK 4 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 下午 | xiàwǔ | afternoon | HSK 1 |
| 三 | sān | three | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 不见 | bújiàn | to be missing; to be gone | HSK 3 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 散 | sǎn | scattered; loose; to come loose | HSK 6 |
| 工作 | gōngzuò | to work; job; work | HSK 1 |
| 再 | zài | again | HSK 1 |
| 忙 | máng | busy | HSK 1 |
| 也 | yě | also; too | HSK 1 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 注意 | zhùyì | to pay attention; to be careful | HSK 3 |
| 身体 | shēntǐ | body; health | HSK 2 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 件 | jiàn | (measure word for clothes, matters, items) | HSK 1 |
| 事 | shì | matter; thing (to do) | HSK 1 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 不行 | bùxíng | no good; won't do | HSK 3 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 着急 | zháojí | worried; anxious | HSK 3 |
| 用 | yòng | to use | HSK 3 |
Common mistakes
-
✗没有努力，所以没有成功。（as a general truth）
✓没有努力，就没有成功。
The fixed pattern is 没有…就没有….
-
✗再忙我都要吃饭。
✓再忙我也要吃饭。
再…也… is the usual pair.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 没有健康， 没有一切。
2. 再难 要坚持。
3. 我们说好了，不见不 。