B2 · Grammar reference · ASG3IR71

Expressing "can't do without" with "shaobuliao"

In the phrase 少不了 (shǎobuliǎo), the word 少 represents "being without." So 少不了 means "can't be without" or "can't do without." It is quite colloquial in usage.

Structure

Subj. + 少不了 + Noun / Verb Phrase

Situation / Result ，少不了 + 是 + Reason

Keywords: 少不了 · 少 · 不了 · 了
Used for: Indicating conditions · Indicating cause and effect · Referring to simultaneous events
Classification: —

Examples (10)

每年春节，少不了饺子和春晚。

如果回家晚了，少不了一顿骂。

过生日少不了吃生日蛋糕。

学中文少不了学拼音和汉字。

回家过年少不了带点礼物给家人。

大家都是邻居，以后少不了麻烦您。

他负责联系客户，所以少不了请客户吃饭。

看他的样子，少不了是跟女朋友吵架了。

这么闷热，少不了是要下暴雨。

八点多了还没回来，少不了是在加班。

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Full explanation at AllSet Learning

Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.

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