双重否定：不能不、不会不、不……不行、没有……不……
two negatives make a strong yes: must; is sure to; every single one
Structure
不能不／不会不 + 动词 · 没有 + （一）+ 量词 + 名词 + 不 + 动词 · 不 + 动词 + 不行
What it means
Two negatives cancel out and make a strong yes: “must”, “is sure to”, or “every single one”.
How it is built
不能不 + verb, or 不 + verb + 不行: 朋友结婚，我不去不行 (I really must go). 不会不 + verb: 他不会不来的 (he’s sure to come). 没有 + 一 + measure word + noun + 不 + verb: 没有一个人不喜欢她.
When to use it
It stresses that there is no choice (不能不, 不……不行), that something is certain (不会不), or that there is no exception (没有……不): 奶奶没有一天不想她的孙子. It is more emphatic than plain 要 or 都.
Watch out
Keep both negatives: drop one and you say the opposite. 没有一个人喜欢她 = nobody likes her, but 没有一个人不喜欢她 = everybody likes her.
Examples
朋友结婚，我不去不行。
A friend is getting married: not going isn’t an option.
他答应了，就不会不来的。
He said yes, so he’s sure to come.
奶奶没有一天不想她的孙子。
Not a day goes by without Grandma missing her grandson.
这里没有人不认识王明的爷爷。
Everyone round here knows Wang Ming’s grandpa.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 16: 亲戚 (Meeting the relatives)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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