Definify.com

Definition 2024

不得不

不得不

Chinese

		must not; should not; not be allowed	not; no; (negative prefix)
simp. and trad. (不得不)		不得	不

Verb

不得不

have no choice but to; cannot but; have to

Pronunciation

Mandarin

(Pinyin): bùdébù

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄅㄨˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): bat¹ dak¹ bat¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): put-tet-put

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
  - Pinyin: bùdébù
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄅㄨˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: buderbu
  - IPA ^(key): /pu⁵¹ tɤ³⁵ pu⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: bat¹ dak¹ bat¹
  - Yale: bāt dāk bāt
  - Cantonese Pinyin: bat⁷ dak⁷ bat⁷
  - IPA ^(key): /pɐt̚⁵ tɐk̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: put-tet-put
  - Hakka Romanization System: bud` ded` bud`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: bud⁵ ded⁵ bud⁵
  - IPA: /put̚² tet̚² put̚²/