学华语Learn Chinese with BaoOpen the course

务必

be sure to; must, without fail

Structure
(请)主语 务必 (要)动作

What it means

“Be sure to; without fail”: it presses the listener to do something, firmer and more formal than 一定要.

How it is built

(请)subject + 务必(要) + action: 请您务必不要吃早饭 (please be sure not to eat breakfast).

When to use it

Doctor to patient, boss to staff, notice to public; often 请务必 or 务必要. Negative: 务必不要 (in writing also 切勿). 必须 states a rule (学生必须穿校服); 务必 urges (请大家务必穿校服).

Watch out

✗ 他昨天务必来了。 务必 gives instructions, not facts about what happened. Use it for what someone should do.

Examples

医生严肃地嘱咐我爸:“这烟您务必要戒掉!”
The doctor told my dad sternly: “You absolutely must give up smoking!”
明天早上要化验,请您务必不要吃早饭。
You have a lab test tomorrow morning, so please be sure not to eat breakfast.
到了以后务必给家里打个电话。
Be sure to ring home when you get there.
Learn this in Lesson 47 · HSK 5–6: 去医院看病 (Seeing a doctor)
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.
Open the lesson →

Also in this lesson

← 必须、必需、必要日益 →