HSK 5 · VERSION 2.0#77

Expressing “Can’t Do Without” with “shǎobùliǎo”

少不了

shǎobùliǎo

How it works

少不了 (shǎobùliǎo) means “cannot do without,” “there must be,” or “is bound to have.” It can express either necessity or inevitability.

这么重要的会议，准备工作当然少不了。

Zhème zhòngyào de huìyì, zhǔnbèi gōngzuò dāngrán shǎobùliǎo.

For such an important meeting, preparation is of course indispensable.

只要跟人打交道，误会和摩擦总是少不了的。

Zhǐyào gēn rén dǎ jiāodào, wùhuì hé mócā zǒngshì shǎobùliǎo de.

As long as one deals with people, misunderstandings and frictions are unavoidable.

他这次能把事情做成，背后肯定少不了家人的支持。

Tā zhè cì néng bǎ shìqing zuò chéng, bèihòu kěndìng shǎobùliǎo jiārén de zhīchí.

The reason he succeeded this time certainly could not have been without his family’s support behind him.

This expression often implies necessity or inevitability rather than direct impossibility.