HSK 4 grammar · new HSK syllabus
千万, 只好, 确实, 恐怕: more useful adverbs
千万别 = whatever you do, don’t; 只好 = have no choice but; 确实 = really; 恐怕 = I’m afraid.
Structure
- 千万 + 别 / 要 + verb
- 只好 + verb
- 确实 + verb / adjective
- 恐怕 + clause
How it works
千万 adds urgency to advice: 千万别忘了 = make sure you don’t forget.
只好 means the speaker has no better option: 没有车了，我们只好走路.
确实 confirms that something is really true: 他确实很努力.
恐怕 softens bad news: 恐怕他今天来不了.
Examples
-
路上千万要小心。
Lùshang qiānwàn yào xiǎoxīn.
Be really careful on the way.
-
你千万别告诉他。
Nǐ qiānwàn bié gàosu tā.
Whatever you do, don’t tell him.
-
没有公交车了，我们只好打车。
Méiyǒu gōngjiāochē le, wǒmen zhī hǎo dǎchē.
There are no buses left, so we’ll have to take a taxi.
-
这个办法确实不错。
Zhège bànfǎ quèshí búcuò.
This method really is good.
-
恐怕明天会下雨。
Kǒngpà míngtiān huì xiàyǔ.
I’m afraid it will rain tomorrow.
Words in these examples (23)
| 路上 | lùshang | on the way | HSK 2 |
| 千万 | qiānwàn | be sure to; whatever you do (don't) | HSK 4 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 小心 | xiǎoxīn | to be careful | HSK 3 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 别 | bié | don't | HSK 2 |
| 告诉 | gàosu | to tell | HSK 2 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 没有 | méiyǒu | not have; there isn't; did not | HSK 1 |
| 公交车 | gōngjiāochē | bus | HSK 2 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 只 | zhī | (measure word for animals, and one of a pair) | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 打车 | dǎchē | to take a taxi | HSK 2 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 办法 | bànfǎ | way; method | HSK 3 |
| 确实 | quèshí | indeed; really | HSK 4 |
| 不错 | búcuò | not bad; pretty good | HSK 2 |
| 恐怕 | kǒngpà | I'm afraid (that) | HSK 4 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 下雨 | xiàyǔ | to rain | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你千万忘了。
✓你千万别忘了。
千万 goes with 别 or 要.
-
✗我们只好要打车。
✓我们只好打车。
只好 is followed directly by the verb.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 明天考试，你 别迟到。
2. 商店关门了，我们 明天再来。
3. 他今天来不了了。